


•c *■ „s?s JS -• *r* 






IPS' • iOv-, * ^ 



Z^'" ^-a-\ /i& % 

<*. -••»• ,G V \a *<s.** A <~ •••»• ,0^ 















* ^ 



c 



^9 
O 0^ 



^ 

^o 












» A> 






. l 



^ "'-PS 



r 

/ 

• (I * 



* **$* A V ►MA' ^>> ^^ *^H^' 

l ' » . <£. rv> o " o . "*t 



,^ 










Jf * 















^ 



■"3- 







• 










' 










«*-- 







0,0 



tf- <^ 



s\ 



<* .** 











o 















1° 



< „ n . .1 ^ 






V 



\F ■* 






o 




v 






FREESE FAMILIES 



By JOHN WESLEY FREESE 



PUBLISHED JOINTLY BY THE AUTHOR 



AND 



BENJAMIN MARSH FREES 



AND 



EDWIN ABRAHAM FREESE 



ALL GREAT-GRANDSONS OF ABRAHAM FREES 



1749-1800 






GENEALOGY. 

"The immense field of investigation that is opened in 
tracing the ancestors and descendants of a single person is 
really astonishing. In the ascending line the ancestors double 
in every generation. In other words, in the first degree there 
are two ancestors; in the second, four; and in the fourth, 
sixteen; and by going back for twenty generations it will be 
found that every man has more than a million of ancestors. 
In the descending line the numbers are still larger." 



Gift 
Author 



CAUSTIC-CLAFLIN CO., POINTERS, 26-28 BRATTLE ST., CAMBRIOQE. 



PREFACE. 

Probably most, if not all, persons by the name of Freese 
(spelled no less than thirteen different ways) are descended 
from persons who once lived in Friesia or Friesland. "The 
Frisians (Lat. Frisii) were an ancient Teutonic race . 
and occupied the country to the east and west of the 
Zuyderzee. They became tributaries of Rome under 
Drusus . . . but in 28 A.D., they were driven to hos- 
tilities." "In the 5th century, a band of the Frisii joined 
the Saxons and Angles in their invasion of England." 

"The Frizian language occupies a place intermediate be- 
tween . . . Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse." "There is 
a Frisian literature dating from the 12th century." "A set of 
laws, known as the 'Asegabuch,' valid for all Frisians, was 
composed about 1200, A.D." 

"The character of the Frieslander is, by universal and 
antique testimony, bold, open, and generous." 

"What a pity you are not a Frieslander!" they say to 
one whom they esteem. They are proud of the nobility of 
their race, which they believe to be the first of the great 
Germanic family, and they boast that they are the only people 
of that family that has preserved its name from the time of 
Tacitus. Many of them still believe that their country was 
called Frisia, after Frisio, the son of Alan, the brother of 
Mesa, the nephew of Shem, and are proud of this antique 
origin. The love of liberty is their dominant sentiment. 

"The Frisians," says their old codex, "shall be free as 
long as the wind shall blow in the clouds, and as long as the 
world shall endure." 

"It is Friesland, indeed, that sends to parliament the most 
ardent deputies of the Liberal party. The population is 
almost entirely Protestant, and very jealous of its faith; as 
also of its language, which is illustrated by a great popular 
poet, and cultivated with great care." "The peasant in par- 
ticular," says Laveleye, "cites with pride the names of the 
illustrious men who were born under the Frisian hiem, the 
two poets Gisbertus Japhis and Salverda, and the philologist 



4 PREFACE. 

Tiberius Hemsterhuys and his son Franz, that good and pro- 
found philosopher whom Madame de Stael calls the Dutch 
Plato." 

I have advertised and searched the records diligently to 
find beyond a doubt the name of the immigrant Freese of 
New England, but have not succeeded. That some were 
here soon after the coming of Endicott and Winthrop is 
shown by the early records of the town of Salisbury, Mass., 
where we find "James Freese, born 1641-2." It is interesting 
to note the fact that James Frese of the Coat of Arms (here- 
with published) was a merchant in London, England, in 
1633. This, taken in connection with the tradition of our 
family that our ancestors came from England, would justify 
the suspicion that the James of Salisbury, Mass., was de- 
scended from the James of London or from some branch of 
his family. 

In my researches in the Boston Public Library, I found in 
a book of heraldy the above-mentioned Freese Coat of Arms, 
concerning which a word of explanation will not be out of 
place here. 

At this time, 1633, during the reign of Charles I, or 
previously, there had been issued a decree that henceforth 
coats of arms must be shown to have been conferred legiti- 
mately and by the proper authority. To insure this a com- 
mission was appointed whose business it was to demand proof 
of those found using a coat of arms or its crest. 

"Upon sight of an anntient Seal," etc., is the quaint re- 
port of the commission that waited upon Mr. Freese. 

It is interesting to notice that James of London, refers 
back to his father, and grandfather, as having been in Eng- 
land before him. 

Note : — In the course of my researches I have found many dis- 
connected items concerning individual Freeses that will appear under 
the head of "miscellaneous," as suggestions and helps to some one 
who may chance to follow and extend the work but imperfectly done 
here. 

J. W. Freese. 



GENERAL INDEX. 

Children of George p. 8 

Descendants of Abraham pp. 9 — 27 

" Isaac " 28 — 36 

" Jacob " 37 — 40 

" " Lieut. Jacob " 4 1 — 47 

Miscellaneous data 48 — 78 

INDEX TO HALF-TONES. 
Capt. John Frees opp. p. 9 



Retire E. Frees 

William L. Frees . . . 

Edwin A. Frees 

John W. Frees 

Retire W. Frees 
Benjamin M. Frees, 

Jeremiah Frees 

Reuben Frees 

G. Warren Frees 

George Frees 

Henry S. Frees 

Monument Frees.. 

Coat of Arms 

Andrew Frees 



12 
13 
15 
19 
22 

25 
30 
32 

33 
36 

37 
40 

41 
44 



JOHN FREESE 1 . 

Andrew Freese, son of Gordon (now of Cleveland, 
Ohio), says that, at about the time Jacob removed from 
Hampton, N. H., a brother, according to a tradition of his 
family, settled on "a small island not far away." 

In this instance tradition is correct history, for the island 
(incorporated as a part of Deer Isle, Mass., now Maine) is 
to this day known as Freese's island. 

This brother was John (a great-great-grandfather of the 
writer) , who must have been twenty years or so older than 
Jacob, since he had a grandchild (a daughter of George) 
born in 1759, fifteen years earlier than the second child ot 

Jacob. . itu a 

It would seem from the archives in Boston that John and 
three of his sons (see military record) were soldiers in the 
Revolution. 

Children : 

George, b. about 1739. m- Sara Cromwell. 

John, b. — , m ; no children. 

Abraham, b. — , 1749; m. Hannah Whittemore; d. of 

Edmund, of Salem, June 25, 1777- 
Isaac, b. about 1750. 

Jacob, b. — , was probably the grandfather of Prof. 
Henry Simmons Frieze. 

Return ) . . 

twins. 



Retire 



} 



I find no record of the twins, Retire and Return, but there 
can be but little doubt of the truth of the tradition, for I 
found it current in two branches of the family. In tact, 1 
was assured by a daughter of Abraham, son of George, that 
there could be no doubt about it. 

George Freese 2 (John 1 ), married Sarah Cromwell, 
went to Deer Isle, Me., about 1764, and here he probably 
died, as I find here a record of the names and dates ot birth 
of his ten children. George was probably the oldest of the 



8 FREESE FAMILY. 

four brothers who went to Deer Isle, as his first child was 
born nineteen years before the birth of Abraham's oldest, 
Capt. John. 

It appears that some of his children (one or more sons) 
went to Ellsworth, Me., about the time Abraham went to 
tfangor, and here they preferred another name. (See His- 
tory of Deer Isle, Me., by Hosmer.) 

Children : 

Mary, b. Oct. 8, 1759, at Deer Isle, Me. 
John, b. Aug. 6, 1 761, at Deer Isle, Me. 
Mary, b. Aug. 12, 1764, at Deer Isle, Me. 
Grace, b. July 7, 1766, at Deer Isle, Me. 
Isaac, b. May 30, 1769, at Deer Isle, Me. 
Abraham, b. Nov. 25, 1771, at Deer Isle, Me. 
Joshua, b. Dec. 30, 1773, at Deer Isle, Me. 
Abigail, b. Nov. 26, 1775, at Deer Isle, Me. 
Elizabeth, b. Mar. 26, 1778, at Deer Isle, Me 
George, b. Dec. 30, 1780, at Deer Isle, Me. 

Descendants of Abraham Freese 2 (John 1 ). 

Fac-similie of the handwriting of Abraham Frees. 

Just where Abraham Freese was born is not certainly 
known though there are reasons to believe his birth-place to 
have been Hampton, N. H., or Salisbury, Mass. The 
records of the latter town give "James Freese, born 1641-2." 

1 his James had a son James born in the same town in 
1 667. One of these Jameses was killed at Casco, near Port- 

a xl I , Indians In l6 §9. One of these Jameses, un- 
doubtedly the younger, had a son Isaac, of Newbury, born 
17 1 6. I his Isaac was of the right age to have been the 
father of Abraham, but I think, notwithstanding the name 
Isaac is of frequent occurrence in our branch, the father of 
Abraham was John. I think so, for the following reasons: 

In the history of Deer Isle, Me., I find that John, John, 
Jr and George Freese agree to support the ministry. This 
John, Sr., was, I have no doubt, the father of the four 
brothers, George, Abraham, Isaac, and T hn, who appear in 




CAPT. JOHN FREESE 



FREESE FAMILY. 9 

Deer Isle, Me., about 1764. The reason he was not men- 
tioned otherwise in the history of Deer Isle is explained by 
the probability that he settled and died on a neighboring 
island known to the present time as Freese's island. Again, 
I have a distinct remembrance of asking my grandfather who 
his grandfather was. His look and manner as he answered, 
"His name was John," make a vivid picture in my mind to 
this day. Also, in the Revolutionary Archives, I find that 
Abraham, of Deer Isle, Me., and John, Jr., enlisted in the 
Continental army the same day, in the same company, and 
served the same length of time. 

Abraham Freese 2 (John 1 ), was born in 1749 and died 
in 1800, in Orono, Me., to which place he went from Bangor 
in 1790. It is on record that his was one of the best farms in 
Penobscot County. Upon it he built the first frame-house in 
the town. He was succeeded in its ownership by his son, 
Retire Whittemore, whose home it was for more than fifty 
years. It is on the right bank of the Penobscot river directly 
opposite the University of Maine. Abraham married Han- 
nah,* daughter of Edmund Whittemore of Salem, Mass., 
June 25, 1777, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. 
Thomas Barnard. 

Children, recorded in part in Orono : 

John, b. Aug. 20, 1778, at Deer Isle, Me.; d. at Orono, 

June 17, 1855; m. Dec. 24, 1800, Rebekah Rider, of 

Providence, R. I. 
Abigail, b. Oct. 8, 1780, d. May 1, 1831, m. Joshua 

Lunt. 
Isaac ? — : 

Retire, b. Jan. 19, 1785, d. Oct. 23, i860. 
Abraham, b. — , 
Hannah, b. May 26, 1788, d. Dec. 6, 1867. She m. 

James Lunt. 
Jonathan, b. Dec. 11, 1793; d. Nov. 4, 181 5. 

Capt. John Freese 3 (Abraham 2 , John 1 ), was born at 
Deer Isle, Me., August 29, 1778, and died in Orono, Me., 



*It is remarkable that William Colburn (son of Jeremiah of Dun- 
stable, Mass., and first settler of Orono, 1774) born eleven years 
later than Abraham Freese, should have married a twin sister (Abi- 
gail) of his wife, Hannah. 



IO FREESE FAMILY. 

January 17, 1855. He married Rebekah Rider (parents of 
Liverpool, England), December 24, 1800. She was born in 
Providence, R. I., August 31, 1779, and died in Orono, Me., 
of cancer of the tongue, September 27, 1853. 

Capt. John Freese was a very remarkable man. He "fol- 
lowed the sea" for twelve years, and on one of his voyages 
found himself on the coast of Africa on board a vessel en- 
gaged in the slave trade. On another occasion in England 
he was waited on by a press-gang that invited him to accom- 
pany them aboard an English man-o-war. His answer was 
characteristic: "You have crew enough to take me there, but, 
if you do it, and I get at the magazine, we will go to hell 
together." They did not take him. Again, in Cuba, he was 
attacked by an enraged Spaniard, who thrust at him with a 
poignard. He parried the blow with his left hand, which 
nearly severed his thumb, at the same instant losing control 
of his right, which sent the irate Spaniard tumbling into a 
dock that was near at hand. 

In consequence of his great physical strength and absolute 
fearlessness, he was much employed as constable, a position 
he was in all respects qualified to fill. He stood against the 
English at Castine, where his sword belt (he being ensign) 
was severed by a fragment of shell. On this occasion he dis- 
played courage that elicited the highest admiration, as he 
stood to his colors longer than prudence would warrant. He 
had the stature and physique of a giant. A book would be 
required to recount his feats of strength and daring. He 
has been called "a Puritan of the middle period," so strenu- 
ous was he in the observance of Sunday and in the saying of 
"grace" at meal-time, which he always did standing. His 
leather-covered Bible was as regularly placed on the dining- 
table as was his plate. 

The following is from a history of Penobscot Co., Me. : 

"In 1 82 1, Capt. John Frees (this is the way he, his 
brothers, and his children, spelled their name) entered upon 
Lot No. 14 in Hammond (now La Grange, Me.,) being the 
corner lot in the plantation on the west side of the State road. 
He felled a few acres of trees, cleared the land in the spring 
of 1822, put in his crops, built his log cabin (replaced by a 
frame house a few years later), and moved his family into it 
in the fall of 1822." 

His title to the land, not proving good, he paid for it the 



FREESE FAMILY. II 

second time. Another piece of hard luck was the loss of 
eighteen acres of wheat by the Miramichi fire of 1825. He 
was the first permanent settler of the town. 

Children : 

*Angal Bartlet, b. Mar. 19, 1803. 
Retire E., b. Dec. 25, 1804. 
Mary R., b. Mar. 2, 1807. 
Allen B., b. Mar. 13, 1809. 
John, b. Apr. 30, 181 1. 
Hannah, b. Sept. 17, 1813. 
Andrew J., b. Oct. 13, 1816. 
Paul D., b. Aug. 1, 1820. 
Edward F., b. Aug. 26, 1822. 
Rebekah, b. Jan. 5, 1826. 

Angall Bartlett Freese 4 (John 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), was born March 19, 1803, in Orono, Me. He was 
a true son of his father as to disposition and physique. He 
lived a large part of his life in Alton, Me., and here married 
Sarah, daughter of Clark Rand. She died 1885. After 
rearing his family, he removed to Utica, Wis., where he died 
March 4, 1868. 

Children : 

Orrin, b. Dec. n, 1823, d. Dec. 24, 1899. 

Sarah R., b. Dec. 11, 1823. 

Retire W., b. Feb. 18, 1827, d. Jan. 8, 1895. June 14, 

1848, he m. Clara J. Chapman, of Oldtown, Me. 

She was b. Mar. 4, 1832. 
John, b. — , 
Angall B., b. — , 
Nial, b. — , 

Orrin Freese 5 (Angall 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 

Children : 

Alpheus Orrin, b. — , 

Bartlett (?) b. — , and a daughter who became Mrs. 
John Canfield. 

Orrin, the father, was a skilled river-man, being em- 



*There should be two l's, I have no doubt, but this is as I find it 
in Capt. John's Bible. 



12 FREESE FAMILY. 

ployed much on the "Main Boom" as an expert and as 
"boss." He was much respected by the people of his town 
by whom and others he was chosen to represent them at 
Augusta for a term. 

I have done my utmost to get full data of his family, but 
the above is all I have been able to obtain. 

Retire W. Freese 5 (Angall 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ) , taught school for twenty-five years. He was Order- 
ly Seargt. of Co. D, 3 2d Wis. regt. 

Children: 

Frances M., b. June 18, 1851 ; m. A. B. Phillips, May 

12, 1871. 
Samuel S., b. Mar. 4, 1853, an d now lives in the State 

of Washington. 
Charles W., b. Mar. 11, 18.56. 
Angall B., b. June 4, 1858. June 22, 1883, he m. Jura 

Pingree. 
Hattie M., b. June 6, 1861. Sept. 20, 1899, she m. 

Geo. Starks. 
Retire W., Jr., b. Jan. 2, 1863. June 22, 1890, he m. 

Alma M. Aldrich, of Utica, N. Y. 
Walter S., b. Apr. 16, 1865, d. Nov., 1897. 
Clara J., b. May 23, 1869, d. Apr. 26, 1886. 
Regina W., b. Nov. 24, 1876, d. Dec. 12, 1888. 

Retire W. Freese, Jr. g (Retire 5 , Angall 4 , John 3 , 
Abraham 2 , John 1 ), is a Free Baptist minister at North 
Branch, Mich. 

Children : 

Harry G., b. June 31, 1892, at Oskosh, Wis. 
Alma May, b. June 21, 1894, at Oskosh, Wis. 
Walter Wells, b. July 7, 1896, at Hortonville, Wis. 
Mabel Emma, b. Dec. 23, 1898, at Oakland, Wis. 
Inez L., b. July 7, 1900, at Kingston, 111. 

Retire E. Freese 4 (John 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), was 
born December 25, 1804, in Orono, Me., and died July 1, 
1893. He was a farmer and resided chiefly in La Grange, 
Me. He married Rebecca Jones of Bristol, Me., September 
20, 1828. In the Civil War he was a volunteer and a mem- 




RETIRE E. FREESE 




WILLIAM LUNT FREESE 



FREESE FAMILY. 13 

ber of Co. K, 8th Maine Infantry under Gen. W. T. Sher- 
man. He remained in the army about two years connected 
chiefly with the hospital service. 

Children : 

Margaret D., b. Sept. 12, 1829, d. Feb. 20, 1868. 
Matilda, b. Nov. 26, 1830. 
William L., b. May 13, 1832. 
Allen, b. Nov. 5, 1833. 
Fanny, b. Mar. 12, 1836. 

Retire, b. May 19, 1839, k. May 10, 1864, at Spotsyl- 
vania, Va. 
Olive L., b. June 17, 1841, d. July 3, 1864. 
Elizabeth C, b. Feb. 14, 1843. 
Abraham E., Jan. 24, 1845. 
Martha E., b. July 22, 1846. 
George B., b. Jan. 16, 1851. 

Margaret Freese 5 (Retire 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), married John Bishop, son of James, of La Grange, 
Me. She died February 20, 1868. 

Children : 

Caroline, b. Mar. 16, 1849, d. Sept. 21, 1863. 

Maria, b. Sept. 14, 1850.. 

Elvira, b. June 27, 1852. 

Catherine, b. June 27, 1852. 

Walter, b. June 2, 1854. 

John C, b. Sept. 3, 1859. 

Fremont L., b. Oct. 23, 1861. 

James L., b. Nov. 24, 1865. 

Matilda Freese 5 (Retire 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), married — Bodwell and had three children: Mary, 
Letty and Ola. 

William Lunt Freese 5 (Retire 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), was born in La Grange, Me., May 13, 1832. He 
married Clementina Harvey, daughter of Samuel, of Max- 
field, Me., October 25, 1855. He lived much of his married 
life in Westbrook, Me., following his trade of builder for 
which he had great natural fitness. He inherited much of the 
physical strength of his grandfather Freese, and like him he 
can "look the whole world in the face." He was a volunteer 



14 



FREESE FAMILY. 



in Company B, 20th reg. of Maine Infantry and received an 
honorable discharge June 4, 1865. He served in the first 
division of the fifth corps of the Army of the Potomac. 

Children: 

Fred M., b. Dec. 20, 1856, in La Grange, Me., m. first, 

Jennie Warren ; secondly, H. McLellan. 
Frank H., b. Apr. 17, 1861, m. Eva L. Dexter, Oct. 

15, 1885. 
William H., b. Apr. 11, 1863, m. Bertha L. Reeves, 

June 1, 1885. 
Etta E., b. June 17, 1875, m. Joseph Page, Aug. 12, 

1895. 
Bertha B., b. June 10, 1878. 

Fred M. Freese 6 (William 5 , Retire 4 , John 3 , Abra- 
ham 2 , John 1 ), married, first, Jennie Warren; secondly, Hat- 
tie McLellan. 

Children : 

Herbert, 
Walter, 
Florence (a boy). 

Frank H. Freese 6 (William 5 , Retire 4 , John 3 , 
Abraham 2 , John 1 ), married Eva L. Dexter, October 15, 
1885. 

Children: 

Wesley C, b. Aug. 3, 1886. 
Edna M., b. Oct. 7, 1889. 
Stanley L., b. May 31, 1897. 

William H. Freese 6 (William 5 , Retire 4 , John 3 , 
Abraham 2 , John 1 ), married Bertha L. Reeves, June 1, 
1885. 

Children : 

Ernest I., b. Feb. 5, 1886. 
Ethel L., b. May 26, 1890. 

Allen Freese 5 (Retire 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
married Sarah Drake of Concord, N. H., March 12, 1852. 
She died July 6, 1896. He was a farmer and carpenter, with 




KDW'IX ABRAHAM FREESE 



FREESE FAMILY. 



15 



a home for the greater part in La Grange, where he was 
born. He died June 4, 1905. 

Children : 

Ellen I., b. Feb. i, 1854; m. Erastus Heald, July 2, 

1870. 
Anna A., b. Aug. 1, 1858. 
Myra E., b. June 2, 1867. 
Ola May, b. Feb. 16, 1871, d. Mar. 7, 1881. 



Fanny Freese 5 (Retire 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
married — Clark of Philadelphia, Penn. 

Children : 

Walter, b. — , 1859, 
Herbert, b. — , i860. 

Elizabeth Freese 5 (Retire 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), married Henry C. Sargent of Suncook, N. H., No- 
vember 26, 1879. 

Child: 

Addie May, b. July 6, 1882. 

Edwin Abraham Freese 5 (Retire 4 , John 3 , Abra- 
ham 2 , John 1 ), married Orvilla M. Luce of North Dixmont, 
Me., October 22, 1870. He is a prosperous lumber mer- 
chant and builder of South Framingham, Mass. He de- 
serves special mention for having arisen from poverty to afflu- 
ence by his own industry and unaided efforts. February 27, 
1864, he enlisted in the Thirty-first Maine Regiment, and 
with it took part in the Battle of the Wilderness. He soon 
received a wound in the chin, and soon after a bullet entered 
his right breast, passing out under his arm. He was absent 
from his regiment from May 6 to December 2. 

Children : 

George Retire, b. in La Grange, Me., Jan. 29, 1872, 

killed in an elevator in Boston, May 4, 1901. 
Olive L., b. So. Framingham, Mass., Apr. 29, 1879; m. 

Rexford A. Nash, July 19, 1900. 



16 freese family. 

State of Maine 

to 
Edwin A. Freese. 

You having borne an honorable part as a Volunteer from 
the State of Maine in the service of the United States in 
suppressing the Rebellion and thereby maintaining the in- 
tegrity of the Union, the perpetuity of Republican Institu- 
tions and the liberties and peace of the People; now there- 
fore I, Joshua L. Chamberlain, Governor and Commander 
in Chief by authority of the Legislature, present you this 
Testimonial to your patriotism, fidelity, courage, and suf- 
fering in the Common cause. 

Given at Augusta this Fourth day of July in the year of 
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight and 
of the Independence of the United States of America the 
ninety-second. 

John C. Caldwell, Joshua L. Chamberlain, 

Adj. General. Governor. 

Martha Emeline Freese 3 (Retire 4 , John 3 , Abra- 
ham 2 , John 1 ), married Henry R. Allen of Webster, Me., 
March 5, 1872. 

Children : 

Ernest H., b. Feb. 13, 1873, at Lewiston, Me. 

Isora E., b. June 3, 1877, at Lewiston, Me. 

Edith E., b. Feb. 13, 1879, at Auburn, Me.; m. — , 

Mountfort. d. Mar. 7, 1899. 
Alice Maude, b. Oct. 27, 1880, at Lisbon, Me. 

George B. Freese 5 (Retire 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), married, 1875, Hester Martin; born December 28, 
1850. He is a farmer and resides in Hastings, Minn. 

Children : 

Ralph E., b. Jan. 24, 1883; d. July 22, 1883. 
Roy E., b. Apr. 5, 1885. 

Mary Rider Freese 4 (John 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
was born in Orono, Me., March 2, 1807. She became the 
wife of Thomas Bishop. They resided in New Hampshire, 
Carroll, Me., Orono, Me., and Oskosh, Wis. The graves 



FREESE FAMILY. jy 

of both are in Oskosh. She was "Aunt Mary" to all who 
knew her, which tells the story of her character and daily 
life as well as would a volume. 

Children : 

Thomas, b. about 1828. 

Mason, d. at about the age of 20. 

Cyrus, 
Jonathan, 
Shepherd, 
Benjamin, 
Daniel, 

Olive Jane. This only daughter was one of the loveli- 
est of women. 

Allen Bliss Freese 4 (John 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
was born March 13, 1809, in Orono, Me., and died there 
March 8, 1875. November 28, 1835 he married Electra, 
daughter of Benjamin Nason of Tamworth, N. H. She 
was born February 27, 1809; died November 21, 1882. She 
was highly endowed intellectually. 

Children : 

Abagail, b. Sept. 25, 1836. 
Mary, b. July 5, 1842. 

The daughters shared the mental gifts of their mother. 

Abagail 5 (Allen 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), was 
born in La Grange, Me.; married Joseph Merriman of 
Orono. 

Children : 

Annie, b. Oct. 16, 1862, m. W. S. Marshall, Jan. 30, 

1866. 
Emma, b. Feb. 21, 1865, m. Edwin Wyman, Oct. 21, 

1899. 

Mary Freese 5 (Allen 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
was born in La Grange, Me.; died in Orono June 20, 1877. 
She married George Wilson Chick, February 23, 1866. 

Children: 

Georgia, b. May 5, 1868. 
Allen Wilson, b. May 10, 1874. 



18 freese family. 

Andrew Jackson Freese 4 (John 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
was born in Orono, Me., October 13, 18 16. He came into 
the world handicapped in two respects : he was born near- 
sighted and with but one hand. His father used to say, how- 
ever, that his wit would compensate. He died September 
17, 1884. He married Amelia Parsons Bickford, daughter 
of Benjamin and Lydia (Cram) Bickford of Tamworth, 
N. H. Her grandfather, Maj. James Cram, fought at Bun- 
ker Hill, and her grandfather, John Bickford, was a Revo- 
lutionary soldier, bearing ever after the war the mark of 
an English bullet. She was born July 9, 18 16, and died 
October 27, 1905. 

Children : 

Benjamin Franklin, b. Apr. 8, 1839. 

John Wesley, b. June 26, 1840. 

Isaac Quint, b. Nov. 26, 1841. He enlisted as a priv- 
ate and served till the end of the war in Co. I, 18th 
Me. regt., Capt. I. M. Atwell, Col. Chaplin in 
command. He came home from the war in charge 
of his Co., being then the ranking officer. 

He was a "scaler" of logs, and was drowned in 
one of the Rangely lakes, Me., Aug. 26, 1866. 

Clara L. Vesta, b. Jan. 21, 1844, in La Grange, Me. 
She began teaching at the age of sixteen in district 
schools, and continued to teach, with few interrup- 
tions, to the time of her marriage to Mr. Samuel At- 
wood, Jan. 6, 1886. She taught in Lynn, Mass., 
fifteen years. She died Aug. 17, 1892, beloved by 
all who knew her. 

Orrin Sumner, b. Oct. 7, 1846. He was twice married. 
He died in Cal., May 8, 1900. 

William Wallace, b. Aug. 27, 1848. 

Eliza M., b. June 29, 1852. 

Andrew Jackson, Jr., b. July 7, 1854. 

Benjamin Franklin Freese 5 (Andrew 4 , John 3 , 
Abraham 2 , John 1 ), was born in Eaton (now Madison), 
N. H. ; is a farmer, and married Mary E. Heald September 
19, 1867. His wife was born April 27, 1850. She was a 
daughter of Charles and Priscilla (Tilden) Heald. She 
died September 18, 1894. He reared a family of eight chil- 
dren. There can be no higher praise for a New England 
farmer. 




JOHN WESLEY FREESE 



FREESE FAMILY. 19 

Children: 

E. Logan, b. Dec. 25, 1869. 
Ethel A., b. Oct. 7, 1871. 
C. Lillian, b. Feb. 17, 1873. 
Isaac Quint, b. Sept. 4, 1875. 
Benjamin F., Jr., b. Dec. 9, 1877. 
Nathan Green, b. Apr. 19, 1880. 
William Lee, b. Aug. 1, 1886. 
Mary Ellen, b. May 19, 1888. 

Logan, a farmer, married Mildred C. Adams of La Grange, July 
11, 1889. 

Child: 

Flora E., b. Oct. 30, 1890. 

C. Lilian, married John Frye, of Wellington, Me., Oct. 27, 1896. 
Both were teachers of district schools for several years. 

Isaac Q., a locomotive engineer, married Mary E. Blethen, of Fox- 
croft, Me., June 12, 1898. 

Benjamin F., Jr., married Minnie M. Hall, of Atkinson, Me., 
Oct. 5, 1902. 

Nathan Green, married Lillian M. Pray, July 15, 1902. 

John Wesley Freese 5 , A.B., A.M. (Andrew 4 , John 3 , 
Abraham 2 , John 1 ), was born in Eaton (now Madison), 
N. H., June 26, 1840, and married Helen M. Wyman of 
Sebec, Me., August 14, 1873. His father claimed and re- 
ceived his wages (earned chiefly on a farm) till he became 
of age, after which he fitted for and entered Waterville 
College, Me., in 1864. He entered Tufts College, Mass., 
in 1865 and was graduated in 1868. He has been a teacher 
for forty-five years. He began teaching in his own school 
district, having among his pupils three brothers and two sis- 
ters. He taught two winters each in Orland and Stockton, 
Me., and was for eleven years principal of the Ingalls School, 
Lynn, Mass. He then was chosen "governor" in the Friends 
School, Providence, R. I. He taught one year in Boston 
as sub-master, but is now master of the Houghton School 
(formerly the Washington), Cambridge, Mass. He is the 
author of "Historic Houses and Spots," and genealogy of the 
Freese family. He has made contributions to the press on 
a variety of subjects and has appeared in public as lecturer 
on local history on several occasions. He is a member of 



20 FREESE FAMILY. 

the American Forestry Association, a charter member of the 
Cambridge Historical Society, and a member of the Unitar- 
ian Club of the First Parish Church, Cambridge. He served 
his alma mater on the board of visitors two years, the second 
year as chairman. His Greek letter society was Delta Kappa 
Epsilon. 

He rejoices, as do his brothers, in being eligible to the 
Sons of the American Revolution because of the military 
service of three great-grandfathers — Abraham Freese, Maj. 
James Cram, and John Bickford. 

William Wallace Freese 5 (Andrew 4 , John 3 , Abra- 
ham 2 , John 1 ), married Emma Mason October 19, 1876, 
and secondly, Belle Burnham (Bailey) August 29, 1897. 
He is a farmer and lumberman. 

Children : 

Lawrence M., b. July 20, 18-77, m Folsom, Cal. 

Amelia E., b. Feb. 23, 1879, in Folsom, Cal.; m. Geo. 
C. Heseltine, Feb. 23, 1898, by whom she has one 
child, Geo. Vaughan. 

Clifford, b. Nov. 23, 1881, in Folsom, Cal. At the 
beginning of the Spanish-American War, he enlisted 
in the U. S. regular army for three years, serving 
in Cuba and the Philippines, and received an honor- 
able discharge. Feb. 20, 1904, he married Myra 
Squares, of Howland, Me. 

Eliza M. Freese 5 (Andrew 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), married Wilmer E. Richardson of Bass Harbor, 
Me., in August, 1874. She died March 21, 1896. Her 
husband, born May 14, 1851, died June 16, 1889. His 
father was Abraham. Eliza was like the sunshine. 

Children : 

Helen Clara, b. Nov. 20, 1875; m. Dr. L. Sherman 

Cleaves, of Bar Harbor, Me. 
Gertrude, b. Apr. 1, 1877; m. Melville Foster, of Bar 

Harbor, Me. 

Children : 

Helen Onolee, b. Mar. 17, 1900. 
John Freese, b. Mar. 12, 1904; was named for the 
writer. 



FREESE FAMILY. 



21 



Andrew Jackson Freese, Jr. 5 (Andrew 4 , John 3 , 
Abraham 2 , John 1 ), was born in La Grange, Me., July 7, 
1854, and married Georgiana, daughter of Jacob W. and 
Sarah E. (Grant) Peters of Portland, Oregon, at Oakland, 
Cal., November 20, 1897. His college course was inter- 
rupted by sickness at the end of two years. 

Children : 

Winfield Sumner, b. Nov. 6, 1900, in San Francisco, 

Cal. 
Jessie Clara, b. Aug. 24, 1902, in San Francisco, Cal. 

Paul Dudley Freese* (John 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
was born August 14, 1820. He married Alice B. Harvey 
July 27, 1846. He died August 3, 1901 in Lewiston, Me. 
He was a farmer and a most excellent man, who never failed 
to command the respect of all with whom he came in con- 
tact. His wife died June 8, 1870, in La Grange, Me. 

Children : 

Myron H., b. Apr. 1, 1848; d. Aug. 18, 1866, of ma- 
laria. He was a soldier in the 15th Me. regt., Col. 
F. M. Drew. 

Betsy A., b. Sept. 19, 1850; d. July 30, 1863, of diph- 
theria. 

Forest E., b. May 2, 1853. He is a Baptist minister, 
and a preacher of marked ability. 

Charles F., b. Sept. 9, 1856. 

Arthur S., b. Dec. 9, 1865. 

Arthur Samuel Freese 5 (Paul 4 , John 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), was born in La Grange, Me., December 9, 1865. 
He married Marion Ellen Casson in Lewiston, Me. He 
studied for the ministry in Bangor, and is now in charge of 
mission schools in Kansas, under the auspices of the Episco- 
pal Church. He is poor, it may be, in worldly goods, but 
rich in the possession of a loyal, loving family. 

Children : 

Zaida Alice, b. Jan. 2, 1884, in Lewiston, Me. 
Annie Ray, b. Mar. 3, 1886, in Lewiston, Me. 
Clara Inez, b. Feb. 26, 1888, in Lewiston, Me. 
Paul Forest, b. Sept. 6, 1890, in Lewiston, Me.; d. 

Oct. 9, 1895, in Milford, Me. 
Herbert Linwood, b. Oct. 9, 1892, in Lewiston, Me. 
Dorothea, b. Apr. 15, 1899, in Lewiston, Me. 
John Wallace, b. June 22, 1901, in Lewiston, Me. 



22 freese family. 

Edward French Freese 4 (John 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
was born in Orono, Me., August 26, 1822, and died in 
Veasy, Me., about 1900. For the greater part of his life 
he worked in lumber mills and on the river. He (a mere 
boy) married Hulda Spencer in 1839. 

Children : 

Edward French, b. about 1842; m. Lizzie Campbell. 
John, b. in Orono; m. Emma Antoine. 
Jennie, b. in Orono; m. Frank M. Babcock. 
Acha, b. in Orono; m. James West. 
Cora E., b. in Orono. 

I am sorry not to have had more definite data of this family. 

Abagail Freese 3 (Abraham 2 , John 1 ), was born in 
Bangor, Me., October 8, 1780, and died May 1, 1831. Her 
husband was Joshua Lunt. 

Children : 

Abagail, b. Feb. 3, 1798, in Orono, Me. 
Joshua, b. Aug. 24, 1799, in Orono, Me. 
John, b. June 10, 1801, in Orono, Me. 
Mary, b. June 22, 1803, in Orono, Me. 
Hannah, b. Dec. 20, 1804, in Orono, Me. 
Margaret, b. Oct. 1, 1806, in Orono, Me. 
William, b. Oct. 23, 1808, in Orono, Me. 
Elmira, b. Apr. 16, 18 10, in Orono, Me. 
Abraham, b. May 30, 1812, in Orono, Me. 
Susan, b. July 10, 18 14, in Orono, Me. 
Isaac, b. May 22, 18 16, in Orono, Me. 
Olive, b. June 10, 18 18, in Orono, Me. 
Fanny, b. Oct. 9, 1821, in Orono, Me. 

Retire Whittemore Frees 3 (Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
was born in Bangor, Me., January 19, 1785. He died in 
Orono, Me., October 22, i860. He seems to have purchased 
of the heirs the homestead of his father, where he lived for 
more than fifty years. I knew him well, for I did chores 
for him for my board several winters, that I might have the 
advantage of the good schools of Orono. In consequence 
of this intimate acquaintance I cherish for him, as for his 
brother, my grandfather, the most affectionate remembrance. 
He was one of the selectmen of Orono in 181 1, and was sent 




RETIRE WHITTEMORE FREES 



FREESE FAMILY. 23 

to represent his district in the legislature in 1839. On this 
occasion he seems to have been late in securing hotel accom- 
modations, and so was obliged to accept a room several 
stories up. Interviewing the proprietor, he stroked the sleeve 
of his coat, and remarked that he "considered the room hardly 
corresponded with the cloth." He married Fanny White, 
sister of Daniel, of Orono, December 23, 18 10. She was 
born January 28, 1793, and died July 14, 1870. The chil- 
dren of Retire and Fanny seem to have had as natural a 
gift for music as have ducks for swimming. At one time a 
choir of a dozen or so consisted wholly of persons connected 
with the family, mostly of sons and daughters, the music be- 
ing by voice and stringed instruments. 

Children : 

Samuel W., b. Oct. 12, 181 1; d. June 15, 1861. 

Jonathan, b. Sept. 17, 1812; killed by accident in Cal. 

Fanny W., b. Aug. 24, 18 14; d. July 14, 1876. 

Benjamin M., b. Jan. 18, 1816; d. Dec. 17, 1846. 

Hannah W., b. Feb. 14, 1818; d. Feb. 7, 1865. 

Abagail W., b. July 15, 1823; d. Nov. 29, 1897. She 
married Benjamin Stewart, June 7, 1847. 

Daniel W., b. June 23, 1824; d. Aug. 22, 1825. 

Daniel W., b. Dec. 16, 1826; d. — , 1904. 

Betsy W., b. Aug. 5, 1828; d. Aug. 30, 1867, in Rock- 
land, Me. 

Retire W., b. Aug. 26, 1830. 

John W., b. July 6, 1833; d. Sept. 18, 1892, at St. 
Helena, Cal. 

Rebecca R., b. June 10, 1837; d. Jan. 30, 1902, in 
Orono, Me. She became the second wife of Richard 
Lord. 

Samuel W. Frees 4 (Retire 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
was postmaster in Orono during Pierce's administration. 
He married Hannah Ramsdell. 

Children : 

Mat. Samuel W., b. in Orono, Me., Mar. 12, 1854; 
d. Feb. 24, 1902, in San Francisco, Cal. 

Samuel W. Frees"' (Samuel 4 , Retire 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), married April, 1890, Lulu Greathouse. 



24 FREESE FAMILY. 

Children : 

Lulu Fanny, b. Nov. 6, 1891. 
Willard B., b. Nov. 13, 1892. 

Frank J. Frees 5 (Samuel 4 , Retire 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), was born in Orono, Me., February 19, 1857, and 
died in Atkinson, Me., May 8, 1901. May 11, 1882, he 
married Caroline A., daughter of Caleb Ford. 

Children : 

Hannah Elizabeth, b. Aug. 2, 1889, in Atkinson. 
Helen Amanda, b. May 23, 1891, in Atkinson. 
Fanny June, b. June 21, 1895. 

Fanny White Frees 5 (Samuel 4 , Retire 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), was born in Orono, Me., April 13, 1859. December 
20, 1898 she became the wife of Geo. T. Vanvoorhees, M.D., 
of Kernville, Cal. 

Jonathan Frees 4 (Retire 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), went 
to California soon after the discovery of gold, and engaged 
successfully in lumbering. He married Elizabeth A. Dalton 
of Ashland, Me., June 18, 1865. She was born May 4, 
1834. He was killed by an accident October 14, 1875. 

Children: 

Benj.a?%iin Frank, b. Mar. 21, 1866; m. Grace Snow, 

1887. He was killed by a fail Oct. 14, 1891. 
Charles Wesley, b. Mar. 4, 1870. He has one child, 
a boy. 

Fanny W. Frees 4 (Retire 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), mar- 
ried William Lunt, son of Abagail, daughter of Abraham. 

Children : 

Walter R., b. Mar. 23, 1841 ; d. 1884 ( ?). 
William F., b. Feb. 23, 1851 ; d. Apr. 17, 1904. 

Benjamin Frank Frees 5 (Jonathan 4 , Retire 3 , Ab- 
raham 2 , John 1 ). 

Children : 

Norman W., b. Sept. 5, 1888. 
Benjamin M., b. Oct. 4, 1890. 




CAPT. BENJAMIN MARSH FREES 



FREESE FAMILY. 



25 



Benjamin Marsh Frees 4 (Retire 3 , Abraham 2 , 
John 1 ), was a successful teacher, but died in the prin*a of 
life, December 17, 1846. He married Maria F. Buffum of 
Orono, Me., December 6, 1844. She was born July 3, 18 19. 

Child: 

Benjamin Marsh Frees 5 (Benjamin 4 , Retire 3 , Ab- 
raham'-, John 1 ), was born August 3, 1846. April 10, 1877, 
he married Ellie R., daughter of Dr. Henry O. Adams. He 
is a wealthy lumber dealer, with yards in Missouri, Iowa, 
Nebraska, Colorado, and Chicago, where he resides. On 
the 1 8th anniversary of his birth he enlisted in the 38th 
Wisconsin, and was made captain of his company by promo- 
tion. He is and long has been the chief support of less 
fortunate relatives. 

Hannah D. Frees 4 (Retire 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
married Richard Lord in September, 1844. She was con- 
sidered one of the most beautiful of women, and the writer 
knows that the qualities of her mind and heart would match 
any other personal charms, however exalted. She died Feb- 
ruary 7, 1865. 

Children : 

Clara, b. Aug. — , 1846, in Orono; d. July, 1851. 

Hannah, b. Jan. — , 1850, in Orono. She married 
Prof. Allen E. Rogers, of the University of Me., 
Nov. 1, 1 89 1. The naming of her for her mother 
was but a prophetic wish. It has been fully realized. 

Richard, b. — , Apr., 1852; d. — , Oct., 1871. 

Abagail W. Frees 4 (Retire 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
married Benjamin Stewart June 7, 1847; died November 
29, 1897. 

Child: 

Abby (Babbage?), adopted. 

Daniel W. Frees 4 (Retire 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
was a teacher of music and a noted bass singer. He married 
Martha Fly. He died September 2, 1904, in New Glasgow, 
Nova Scotia. 

Children : 

Charles Franklin, b. Apr. 20, 1856. 
Jennie Maria, b. Feb. 24, 1858. 



26 freese family. 

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the 

United States. 

Headquarters Commandery of the State of California. 

SAN FRANCISCO, NOVEMBER I5TH, 1 892. 

IN MEMORIAM. 

John Wesley Freese 4 (Retire 3 , Abraham 2 , John 1 ), 
Captain 1st Maine Volunteers; died near St. Helena, Cal., 
Sunday, September 18, 1892. He was born July 6, 1834, 
at Orono, Me. He enlisted in the 7th Maine Volunteer 
Infantry in April, 1861, and was appointed and commis- 
sioned Captain in same regiment in the following August. 
He was transferred to the 1st District Columbia Cavalry 
February 17, 1864, and again transferred to the 1st Maine 
Cavalry August 27, 1864; was brevetted Major March 15, 
1865, for gallant and meritorious services, and was honorably 
mustered out at the close of the war August 1, 1865. His 
war service was very creditable, and he served in the field 
during the whole war with the Armies of the Potomac and 
James. With the 7th Maine Infantry he was attached to 
Davidson's 3d Brigade, Smith's 2d Division, 6th Army Corps, 
participating in the Peninsular Campaign, Siege of Yorktown, 
and battles of Williamsburg, Golding's Farm, Savage Sta- 
tion, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, Antietam, Fred- 
ericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. With the 1st 
District Columbia Cavalry he served in Kautz's Cavalry Div- 
ision, Army of the James, March to August, 1864, and took 
part in the campaign in front of Petersburg. With the 1st 
Maine Cavalry he was attached to the 2d Brigade, 2d Divis- 
ion, Cavalry Corps, from August, 1864, to the close of the 
war, and participated in all the engagements of the command 
during this period. He passed through many battles without 
a scratch, but received a severe wound in one of the latest 
battles of the war, at Sailors' Creek, April 6, 1865. 

Companion Freese having moved to California, settled 
in Eureka, where he has long been known as an upright and 
public spirited citizen. He joined the National Guard of 
California in 1879, of which he was always an active and 



FREESE FAMILY. 27 

useful member, and at the time of his death he was Brigadier- 
General commanding the 6th Brigade, N. G. C. 

He was elected a Companion of the First Class (No. 
920) Commandery of California, May 26, 1891. Insignia 
No. 8881. 

Our Companion during the summer returned from an 
extended visit to his old home in Maine, taken for the benefit 
of his health, which had not been good for some time past, 
but he had not benefited as much as he expected, and he was 
sojourning on Howell Mountain when he was summoned 
to another life. 

He was buried September 25th at his home, and was fol- 
lowed to his grave by Companions resident in Eureka, Cal. 

He was a high-minded, honorable, noble-hearted man, 
and he met his death like a true soldier; we mourn his loss 
and extend our heartfelt sympathy to his bereaved widow. 

The Commandery of the State of California, 

W. R. Smedberg, 

Bvt. Lieut. Col. U. S. Army, 

Recorder. 

He married Brenda W., daughter of Hiram Fuller of 
Hallowell, Me., January 11, 1872. By profession he was 
a dentist. 

Child: 

Thekla, b. Oct. 19, 1875; d. May 12, 1876. 

Hannah Freese 3 (Abraham 2 , John 1 ), was born in 
Bangor, Me., May 26, 1788, and died December 6, 1867, 
in Orono, Me. She married James Lunt, June 6, 1806. 

Children: 

Henry, b. Mar. 19, 1807, in Orono, Me. 
Malinda, b. Aug. 25, 1808, in Orono, Me. 
Judah, b. Apr. 19, 1 8 10, in Orono, Me. 
Lucinda, b. Aug. 3, 1 8 12, in Orono, Me. 
Nathaniel, b. Oct. 3, 1814, in Orono, Me.; d. Apr. 

4, 1892, in Orono. 
Rebecca, b. Sept. 18, 1816, in Orono, Me. 
Lucretia, b. Feb. 3, 1819, in Orono, Me. 
Abraham, b. Mar. 23, 1821, in Orono, Me. 
James, b. Nov. 10, 1825, in Orono, Me. 



28 FREESE FAMILY. 

Isaac Freese 2 (John 1 ) seems to have been in Deer Isle, 
Me., as late as 1783, for he and his brother Abraham were 
witnesses to a contract there during that year. "Dec. 16, 
1786, Abraham Freese, Isaac Freese — schedule of deeds 
from Mass. Rec'ds showing nearly every settler prior to Feb. 
17, 1798, and near by where they located, running from 
Hampden to Orono line." "Lot No. 33, Robert Treat as- 
signee of Isaac Freese. Lot No. 34, Robert Treat assignee 
of Abraham Freese. Lot No. 35, Bulkley Emerson assignee 
of John Freese. In March 1787 Isaac Freese was chosen 
a 'Com.' at the town meeting [in Bangor]. 

"In 1788 Isaac Freese and Jeremiah Colburn [were] 
surveyors of roads. In 1787 Isaac Freese was one of the 
petitioners for incorporation under the name of Luneburg, 
which was not granted. This name is of peculiar interest 
as tending to show that the New England Freeses and the 
James of the coat of arms had a common country, as Lune- 
burg was a part of ancient Saxony. Isaac Freese of Penob- 
scot River* and Abraham Freese for £200 sell Ignatius and 
Solomon Haskell of Newbury, f a tract of land in Deer Isle 
near Long Cave September 2, 1778, Vol. I, p. 367, Hancock 
Records." The compiler of the Freese gynealogy has much 
to regret in that the early records of Argyle and Ellsworth 
were burned, for both towns had among their early settlers 
Freeses from Deer Isle, Me. But, since the records show 
that Abraham and Isaac were in Bangor at the same time, 
and that the former went to Orono in 1790, it is probable 
that Isaac went to Argyle at or about the same time. 

In the records quoted above is found the following : 

1796, January 26, Edward Garland married Abigail 
Freese of Coburntown (Orono?). She may have been a 
daughter of Isaac. But George Freese of Deer Isle had a 
daughter Abigail, born November 26, 1775, who may have 
been the Mrs. Garland. 

In Lincoln Prob. Rec. I find: August 1787, Silas Ha- 
thorn, late of Penobscot River, Adm'r. Inventory by An- 
drew Webster, James Budge, and Isaac Freeze, all of Penob- 



*Was "Penobscot River" ever a name of either Bangor, Orono, or 
Argyle? If not, the name is indefinite. 

f Newbury, Mass., was at one time the home of one or more Freese 
families. 



FREESE FAMILY. 29 

scot River (Orono?). Also inv. of property of late Court- 
ney Babbage of Deer Island, by Joseph Whitmore, Belcher 
Tyler, and George Frees, June 1784. 

Isaac Freese, Jr., born (probably in Bangor, Me.) in 
1779, lived and died in Argyle, so there can be no doubt 
of his having been the son of Isaac of Bangor. 

The brief limits of this work will not permit of eulogiums 
of the individuals of this or any branch of the family, how- 
ever deserving, except in a few cases of marked individuality, 
but it affords the author much pleasure to be able to record 
the fact that, with few exceptions, they have been and are 
held in esteem by their neighbors and townsmen for those 
qualities and traits of character essential to good citizenship 
— honesty, veracity and charity. 

We find no record of the birth of Isaac, of Deer Isle, 
but in the records of the Revolution the statement is made 
that Abraham was twenty-six years old at the time of his 
enlistment in 1775. This fixes the year of his birth as 1749. 
Isaac's birth could not have been far from 1750. 

Isaac Freese 2 (John 1 ), was born (place not known) 
about 1750. 

Children : 

Isaac, Jr., b. Aug. 24, 1779; d. Sept. 10, 1857, in Ar- 
gyle; m. Rebecca Hearthorne, July 23, 1800; d. 
June 12, 181 1. 

William, b. — , 1786; d. Jan. 4, 1861 ; m. Sally Carr; d. 
Aug. 13, 1834- 

George, b. Sept. 7, 1796; d. Apr. 9, 1855. 

John, b. — , 

Sarah, b. Apr. 17, 1785. 

Dolly, b. — ; m. Hildreth. 

Polly, b. — ; m. Dudley. 

Bathiah, b. — ; m. Marsh. 

Hannah, b. — ; m. Jellison — Jones. 

Susan, b. — ; m. Babbage. 

Isaac Freese, Jr. 3 (Isaac 2 , John 1 ), was much respect- 
ed not only by his white neighbors but by the Indians with 
whom he used to skate and wrestle. He was known as peace- 
maker between them and his white neighbors. On one occa- 
sion he probably saved the life of a Mr. Davis by seizing 



30 FREESE FAMILY. 

a weapon that had been raised by Peol (see poems of David 
Barker), chief of the Penobscot tribe. 

Children : 

Susanna, b. Dec. 3, 1801; d. Aug. 20, 1802. 
Lucy, b. June 3, 1803; d. July 13, 1806. 
Jeremiah, b. Mar. 23, 1805; d. Apr. 12, 1877. 
William, b. Apr. 8, 1807; d. Apr. 27, 1889. 
Reuben, b. Mar. 3, 1809; d. Mar. 25, 1873. 
Samuel, b. Feb. 17, 181 1; d. Nov. 16, 1853. 
Rebecca, b. Sept. 19, 1814; d. Apr. 16, 1886. 
Isaac, b. June 17, 181 7; d. July 22, 1884. 
Gilbert W., b. Aug. 18, 18 19; d. May 25, 1896. 

Isaac Freese, Jr. married for his second wife Mehitable J. War- 
ren, Dec. 12, 18 13. She died Aug. 18, 1858. 

Jeremiah M. Freese 4 (Isaac 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ) was 
born in Argyle March 23, 1805, and died there April 12, 
1877. He was a farmer and lumberman. September 20, 
1832, he married Matilda Page, who was born in Frankfort, 
Waldo Co., Me., November 16, 1809, and died December 
5, 1881. 

Children : 

Washington C, b. July 7, 1835; d. Dec. 26, 1880. 

Ann M., b. Apr. 23, 1837; d. Feb. 3, 1873. 

William W., b. Nov. 5, 1841. 

Andrew J., b. Nov. 13, 1844. 

George P., b. Mar. 27, 1847. 

Magaret A., b. May 9, 1849. 

Mary M., b. Aug. 3, 1852. 

Samuel F., b. July 21, 1854; d. Dec. 31, 1885. 

Washington Freese 5 (Jeremiah 4 , Isaac 3 , Isaac 2 , 
John 1 ) was born in Argyle July 7, 1835, and died Decem- 
ber 26, 1880. May 14, 1863, he married Abbie M. Fernald 
of Winterport, Me. He was a merchant. 

Children: 

Isaiah H., b. May 16, 1866. 

Annie G., b. Oct. 8, 1873; d. Apr. 15, 1881. 

William W. Freese 5 (Jeremiah 4 , Isaac 3 , Isaac 2 , 
John 1 ) was born in Argyle November 5, 1841. July 31, 







JEKEMIAII FREESE AND WIFE 



FREESE FAMILY. 



31 



1863, he married Melissa A. Grant. He was a lumberman. 
He represented his district in the legislature 1 899-1900. 

Children : 

Burdell W., b. Feb. 18, 1865; m. Jennie S. Price, Aug. 

18, 1898. 
Mattie D., b. Aug. 21, 1867; m. Franklin W. Price, 

July 9, 1887; d. Feb. 27, 1894. 
Archie H., b. Nov. 18, 1869; d. Feb. 27, 1895. 
Wentworth N., b. May 5, 1881 ; m. Gertrude V. Gip- 

son, Apr. 30, 1902. 

Mattie D. Freese 6 (William 5 , Jeremiah 4 , Isaac 3 , 
Isaac 2 , John 1 ) married Franklin W. Price July 9, 1887. 

Children : 

Roscoe H., b. Apr. 6, 1889, in Argyle, Me. 
Grace M., b. Oct. 18, 1891, in Argyle, Me. 
Annie M., b. June 22, 1898. 

George P. Freese 5 (Jeremiah*, Isaac 3 , Isaac 2 John 1 ) 
was born in Argyle March 27, 1847, an< ^ married August 
23, 1876, Ida E. Lindsay. 

Child: 

Earl P., b. Oct. 31, 1883. 

Margaret A. Freese 5 (Jeremiah 4 , Isaac 3 , Isaac 2 , 
John 1 ) was born in Argyle May 9, 1849. August 22, 1873, 
she became the wife of Mr. William F. Bussell of Argyle, 
Me. 

Children : 

Harold F., b. Sept. 10, 1875, in Argyle. 
Leon W., b. Jan. 15, 1894, in Argyle. 

Mary M. Freese 5 (Jeremiah 4 , Isaac 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ) 
was born in Argyle, Me., April 3, 1852, and became the wife 
of Harvey H. Foster November 4, 1871. 

Children: 

Roscoe C, b. May 25, 1884, in Waterville, Me. 
Jessamine, b. July 4, 1891, in Waterville, Me. 



32 FREESE FAMILY. 

Samuel F. Freese 5 ( Jeremiah 4 , Isaac 3 , Isaac 2 John 1 ) 
was born in Argyle July 21, 1854, and died December 31, 
1885. October 7, 1876, he married Florence Lindsay. 

Children : 

Maud G., b. Feb. 23, 1878, in Medford, Me. 
Katie, b. Feb. 9, 1883, in Waterville, Me. 

William L. Freese 4 (Isaac 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ) was 
born in Argyle April 8, 1807, and died April 27, 1889. Oc- 
tober 18, 1 85 1, he married Louisa H. Marsh, who died 
October 6, 1883. Her father's name was John Marsh; her 
mother's, Bethia Freese, granddaughter of Isaac Freese, Jr. 
William L. Freese was a lumberman and farmer. 

Children: 

Charlotte H., b. Dec. 31, 1854; d. Feb. 26, 1891. 
Jeremiah Morrell, b. Feb. 12, 1856. 

Jeremiah M. Freese 5 (William L. 4 , Isaac 3 , Isaac 2 , 
John 1 ) was born February 12, 1856, and married Louisa 
M. Tracy August 27, 1884. She died October 21, 1904. 

Child: 

Ruel W., b. July 26, 1889, in Argyle; d. Mar. 3, 1891. 

Reuben Freese 4 (Isaac 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ) was born 
in Argyle, Me., March 3, 1809, and died March 25, 1873. 
October 18, 1849, ne married Sarah J. Mann, who died No- 
vember 24, 1893. He was a farmer and lumberman. 

Children: 

Albert C, b. Jan. 26, 1851; d. Oct. 26, 1868. 
Alice M., b. Apr. 25, 1854; d. Nov. 25, 1861. 

Isaac Freese, 3d 4 (Isaac 3 , Isaac, Jr. 2 , John 1 ), was 
born in Argyle, Me., June 13, 1817, and died July 22, 1884. 
October 20, i860, he married Sarah J. Marsh, daughter of 
John and Bethiah (Freese) Marsh. She died April 29, 
1895. He was a lumberman and farmer. 

Gilbert Warren Freese 4 (Isaac 2d 3 , Isaac, Jr. 2 , 
John 1 ) was born August 18, 18 19, in Argyle, and died May 
25, 1896. November 17, 1844, he married Martha A. 




REUBEN FREESE 




GILBERT WARREN' EREESE 



FREESE FAMILY. 33 

Lowe, who was born May 10, 1824, in Orono. She died 
October 25, 1890. He was a lumberman and farmer. 

Children: 

Nettie Warren, b. June 25, 1847, in Argyle; m. Wil- 
liam W. Brown, Jan. 7, 1871. 

Gilbert C, b. Apr. 12, 1849, in Argyle. 

Samuel L., b. Mar. 22, 1853. 

Harriet F., b. Feb. 9, 1858; m. Chas. W. Dowe, Aug. 
30, 1884. 

Isaac W., b. Feb. 12, i860; d. Oct. 11, 1862. 

Samuel L. Freese 3 (Gilbert 4 , Isaac, Jr. 3 , Isaac 2 , 
John 1 ), was born in Argyle, March 22, 1853, and married 
Marcia E. Welch, September 22, 1878. He is a farmer and 
lumberman. 

Children: 

Gilbert L., b. July 22, 1879, in Argyle. 
Ethel E., b. Nov. 5, 1882, in Argyle. 

Ethel has had considerable experience as a teacher. 

Sarah Freese 3 (Isaac 2 , John 1 ) was born April 17, 
1785, and died June 15, 1854. July 21, 1802, she married 
John Bussell, who died July 5, 1839. 

Children : 

Stephen, b. Oct. 9, 1803. 
Lucy, b. Jan. 19, 1805. 
John, Jr., b. June 10, 1806. 
Isaac F., b. Oct. 3, 1808. 
George F., b. May 11, 18 10. 
Lydia T., b. Mar. 18, 1812. 
Nancy, b. Dec. 29, 18 13. 
Nancy V., b. Mar. 9, 18 16. 
William F., b. July 19, 18 19. 
Dudley, b. Mar. 26, 1821. 
Sarah F., b. Dec. 1, 1822. 
Alfred W., b. Mar. 2, 1825. 
Isaiah W., b. June 2, 1827. 

William Freese 3 (Isaac 2 , John 1 ), was born in 1786, 
and died January 4, 1861. His wife was Sally Can*, who 
died August 13, 1834. 



34 FREESE FAMILY. 

Children: 

Susan, b. 1 8 1 1 ; m. John Jellison, about 1828; d. about 
i860. 

Isaac H., b. Mar. 3, 1813; m. Susan Perkins, about 
1836; d. Nov., 1888. 

Mary, b. about 18 16; m. about 1836, Benjamin Bul- 
lard. 

Margaret, b. July 9, 1818; m. Moses Jellison, in Jan., 
1834; d. May 18, 1885. 

Benjamin, b. May 2, 1820; m. Anne Jellison, about 
1845; d. Oct. 3, 1893. 

John, b. Mar. 27, 1822; m. Eliza Brown, about 1850. 

Harriet Newell, b. Mar. 3, 1825; m. Samuel L. 
Whitcomb, in 1849; d. Nov. 14, 1885. Her chil- 
dren were Roswell ; b. 185 1 ; d. in infancy; Samuel 
Willis; b. July 31, 1854. One other son died in in- 
fancy. 

William Henry, b. Apr. 13, 1827; m. 1855; d. Mar. 

15. 1895. 
Noah L., b. Apr. 13, 1830; m. Annie Armstrong, Sept., 

1 86 1. Jan. 1, 1871, he m. Maria A. Smith of 

Salem, Mass. 
Edmund C, b. May 14, 1832; d. in the South, about 

1858. All were b. in Argyle, Me. 

Noah says his father went from Orono to Argyle at the age of 
fifteen. This would mean the year 1801, a little more than twenty 
years before Capt. John Freese settled La Grange. 

Isaac H. Freese 4 (William 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ), was 
born in Argyle, Me., March 3, 18 13, married Susan Perkins 
about 1836. 

Children : 

Freeman Dean, b. in Portland, 1836. 

Edwin Le Forest, b. in Portland ; m. Emma Davis. 

Levi Woodbury, b. — , 

Melvin, b. — , 1 851; m. Mattie E. Lee, of Foxcroft, 

Me., Apr. 17, 1873. 
Frances Alice, b. Bangor; m. Geo. Farmer, one child, 

Alice Olive. 
William Albert; m. Ada Towle, Bangor, one child, 

Charles Boutelle. 

Melvin Freese 5 (Isaac H. 4 , William 3 , Isaac 9 , 
John 1 ). 



FREESE FAMILY. 35 

Children : 

L. Mabel, b. Mar. 24, 1874, Foxcroft. 
James M., b. Nov. 15, 1875, Foxcroft. 
Helen I., b. Feb. 17, 1880, Foxcroft. 

Mabel is a teacher of ability and success, and has contributed ar- 
ticles on temperance, and on other subjects, to the press. 



Margaret Carr Freese 4 (William 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ), 
was born in Argyle, Me., July 9, 18 18; married Moses Jelli- 
son, January, 1834; died May 18, 1885. 

Children : 

Fernando, b. Feb. 21, 1835; d. Apr., 1864. 
Theodore, b. Mar. 8, 1837; d. Apr., 1896. 
Mary Ellen, b. Feb. 6, 1839; d. May, 1856. 
Harriet, b. May 11, 1841 ; d. Jan., 1904. 
Emma, b. Mar. 17, 1843. 
Amelia, b. Feb. 13, 1848; d. Apr., 1894. 
Henry, b. Aug. 19, 1851; d. Sept., 1872. 



Benjamin Carr Freese 4 (William 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ), 
married Elizabeth Van Norman August 22, 1873. By a 
former wife he had 

Children : 

Franklin B., b. 1853; d. about 1880. 

Edgar Alonzo, b. Apr. 29, i860, and has five children 

whose names I have not been able to learn. 
Harry W., b. July 30, 1867; m. — ; no children. 
Nellie L., b. June 6, 1875 (mother Van Norman) and 

has one child. 

Nellie L's name is Wynne. 



John Freese 4 (William 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ). 

Children : 

John, b. about 1851; d. about 1853. 
Charles A., b. Feb. 17, 1857; m. Oct. 30, 1903; one 
child, Dorothy; b. Sept. 18, 1905. 



36 FREESE FAMILY. 

Noah L. Freese 4 (William 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ). 

Children : 

Annie E., b. Sept. 16, 1862, at Salem, Mass. 
Lenora A., b. Feb. 16, 1872; d. Dec. 19, 1875. 
Alice L., b. Dec. 10, 1876. 
Jennie R., b. Oct. 20, 1878; d. Nov. 8, 1882. 

George Freese 3 (Isaac 2 , John 1 ), was born September 
7, 1796, at Bangor, Me., died April 9, 1855 at Milford, 
Me., -August 19, 1832, he married Margaret Babbidge at 
Deer Isle, Me. She was born at Canaan, Me., November 6, 
1800, and died May, 1870, at Minneapolis, Minn. 

Children : 

George Curtis, b. Aug. 13, 1833; d. Feb. 16, 1834. 

Paul Dudley, b. Mar. 16, 1835, at Argyle, Me.; m. 
Etta Young, May 21, 1872. She was b. June 11, 
1848; d. Aug. 27, 1903, at Prescott, Wis. 

Paul Dudley Freese 4 (George 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ), 
had 

Children : 

Grace, b. Mar. 27, 1873, at Prescott, Wis. 
Maude, b. Oct. 18, 1875, at Pt. Douglas, Minn. 
Dudley Paul, b. Nov. 23, 1882, at Prescott, Wis. 

Grace Freese 5 (Paul 4 , George 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ), 
married James C. McKown, September 1, 1899. 

Children : 

Paul Freese McKown, b. Oct. 15, 1901, at St. Paul, 

Minn. 
Lyle Spencer McKown, b. Aug. 3, 1903, at St. Paul, 

Minn. 

Maude Freese 3 (Paul 4 , George 3 , Isaac 2 , John 1 ), 
married Herbert Stevens Green, September 1, 1898, at Pres- 
cott, Wis. 

Children: 

Gerald Dudley, b. Nov. 23, 1899, at St. Paul, Minn. 
Marcia Kimball, b. Nov. 20, 1905, at St. Paul, Minn. 







-4 




1 Iff *■ 1 










% 




> 


]HI 








i V i * ,1 / j 










Km J^M 




V^.JP 


J 


Bl ^ 




af/7 >/ 


r/Hffl 


J^^^^^^. 


■ 






nil 







GEORGE FREES E AND WIFE 




PROF. HENRY SIMMONS FRIEZE 



FREESE FAMILY. 37 

Jacob Freese 2 (John 1 ), was born — , and died 1799. 
He married Vashti Thayer of Providence, R. L, in 1773 ; she 
died in Boston in 18 16. He was of Newbury, Mass., and 
afterward of Providence. 



Jacob 3 (Jacob 2 , John 1 ), was probably born in New- 
bury. The date of his birth is April 7, 1789. He died in 
Providence, June 2, 1880. He married Betsy Slade, daugh- 
ter of Capt. Job (born June 17, 1745, died 1830; his wife, 
Prudence Chase, born February 14, 1748) in 18 10. She 
was born October 6, 1786, and died August 14, 1850. 

Children : 

William, b. Dec. 11, 181 1; d. July 26, 1812. 

Vashti, b. Sept. 5, 1813; d. Nov. 8, 1900. 

Sarah, b. Aug. 28, 1815; d. Mar. 13, 1895. Married 

Albert Armington. 
Henry S., b. Sept. 15, 1817; d. Dec. 7, 1889. 
Geo. W. C, b. Oct. 20, 1819; d. Jan. 28, 1850. 
John, b. Feb. 15, 1823, (now living). 
Lyman B., b. June 15, 1825 (now living). 
Amelia McR., b. Dec. 30, 1829; d. Aug. 5, 1896. She 

became the wife of Thomas A. Howland. 



"Henry Simmons Frieze, A.M., LL.D., Chicago 
University, 1870; Kalamazoo College, 1870; University of 
Michigan, 1885. He was a tutor in Brown University, R. I., 
1841-1844; associate principal of the University Grammar 
School, Providence, 1 844-1 854; Professor of Latin in the 
University of Michigan from 1854 to 1889; acting president 
1869 to 1871; 1880 to 1882; 1887 t0 l888 - He was a 
member of the American Philological Society; author of An- 
cient and Modern Education; Life and Works of Henry 
Philip Toppan, first president of the University of Michigan; 
Notes on the 10th and 12th books of Quintilian, 1863; Gio- 
vanni Dupre, the History of a Florentine Sculptor, 1886; 
editor of Virgil's Aeneid, i860. — Cyc. Am. Biog., 1890. 

His Greek Letter Soc. was A A <£." 



Prof. Henry Simmons Frieze 4 (Jacob 3 , Jacob 2 , 
John 1 ). 



38 FREESE FAMILY. 

Children : 

James Henry, b. Aug. 4, 1848; d. Aug. 11, 1848. 
Alice Wyatt, b. Sept. 13, 1849; d. Nov. 22, 1850. 
Adelaide Koppee, b. July 1, 1851 ; d. Oct. 24, 1900. 
George Boise, b. Nov 13, 1853; d. Dec. 7, 1853. 
George Slade, b. Jan. 8, 1855; d. Sept. 2, 1857. 
William, b. July 30, 1857; d. Aug. 25, 1857. 
Caroline Joslin, b. Jan. 12, 1859, (now living). 
Henry Albert, b. May 1, 1861 ; d. Aug. 3, 1861. 

The Board of Directors of the University Musical So- 
ciety, feeling deeply the loss sustained in the death of their 
late President, desire to place on record the following 
memorandum : 

"The sudden death of Dr. Frieze has filled us with grief, 
and has thrown deep gloom over our organization. Though 
well informed of his feeble health, we could not have be- 
lieved that his departure from us was so near. The Univer- 
sity Musical Society is in mourning, and the continuance of 
the heavenly art which he cherished is cast down. The 
winds of December are moaning a requiem whose tones pierce 
painfully into every heart. We are paralyzed by the loss of 
one who has been the chief stay of our organization from the 
beginning of its existence. 

"Dr. Frieze was endowed with a delicate perception of 
the charms of music. His soul thrilled in unison with all 
the tender or lofty themes which the muses inspire; but with 
a soul responsive to the charms of beauty under all its forms, 
music was from early life his companion and when, in 1854, 
he became connected with the University of Michigan, he 
promptly established a reputation as an organist and pianist. 
For some years he consented to preside at the organ of St. 
Andrew's church, and at a more recent period, he rendered 
the same service for one of the other churches of the city. 
He was an admirable conductor, and a helpful and invigora- 
ting teacher of music. Around him the musicians of the city 
gathered themselves, and he led and taught them with zeal 
and inspiration. It was he who first introduced the higher 
musical compositions to our people. He aggregated our 
choirs, and encouraged them to undertake choruses from the 
oratorios. He trained them till they were competent to offer 
public performances of merit; and a large number of public 
concerts were given under his direction, in the twenty years 
between i860 and 1880. 



FREESE FAMILY. 



39 



"In the spring of 1879, the Messiah Club was organized 
under his leadership, for practice of the choruses of the 
'Messiah.' This in October, became the Choral Union. 
After practice during the spring and summer, the plan was 
formed of giving public concerts for the benefit of the four 
churches then represented in the membership. Three public 
concerts were given during 1879 and 1880. Early in 1880, 
at the instance of Dr. Frieze, steps were taken to affiliate 
the Choral Union with the University. An organization 
called the University Musical Society was the outcome of the 
purpose. Dr. Frieze being now called to the Acting Presi- 
dency of the University, he withdrew from active connection 
with the Society, until 1883. Meantime, the Society was re- 
organized under its present form. In 1883, Dr. Frieze be- 
came again, President of the Society, of the Choral Union, 
and of the Board of Trustees of the School of Music. These 
interests he continued to serve, with vigilance and heartiness, 
to the time of his death. 

"It always was the ulterior aim of Dr. Frieze to open the 
way for the admission of Music into the University as a 
recognized department. This purpose was partially accom- 
plished when, in 1881, an instructorship in the University 
was united with the Directorship of the School of Music. 
This purpose he continued to urge in every proper way, until, 
at his death, the claims of music in liberal education, were 
well advanced toward full recognition. 

"To him the University is indebted for development in 
the direction of an Art recognized in Ancient and Medieval 
times, as one of the elements of liberal culture. To him the 
citizens of Ann Arbor are indebted for their earliest enjoy- 
ment of classical choruses ; and for the opportunity to found 
a School of Music, as demanded by relations existing with the 
University and with the High School of the city. To him 
we are indebted for companionship, for inspiration, and for 
the ennobling influences of the music which his efforts and 
power of organization have offered for our appreciation and 
built into the harmony and sweetness of better lives. . 

"In the recollection of his virtues he has left us an in- 
heritance more enduring than mortal life, more beautiful 
than marble or bronze." — Ann Arbor, Dec. 9th, 1889. 

Attest : 

W. W. B f:\i.\n, Secretary. 



40 FREESE FAMILY. 

Lyman B. Frieze 4 (Jacob 3 , Jacob 2 , John 1 ), was born 
June 15, 1825. He married Josephine Gardner. 

Children : 

George.H., b. Mar. 18, 1856; m. Mary M. Conyngham. 
Lyman B., Jr., b. Mar. 27, 1858. 

Lyman B. Frieze 5 , (Lyman 4 , Jacob 3 , Jacob 2 , John 1 ), 
married Mary Savage Crowell, June 1, 1886. 

Children: 

Savage C, b. Feb. 7, 1891. 

Lyman B., b. Dec. 17, 1892; d. Dec. 17, 1892. 

Lyman B., b. Mar. 23, 1894. 

Mary H„ b. Sept. 1, 1898. 



dSVy- 



j :% 



,,+* - t**~ . ~~- 



K*«!»^**&^ 







<#2 



HFNRY-SIMMGNS FRIEZE 






,v»w«r ™ vW,EMmr 



VSSSSBsmss 



206 



' 4 



THE VISITATION OF LONDON. 



,^, '/)/, 



l . \\ V. k *"* 



§&> 






?1 

••■' 






ffrcsc. 



Limstreate. 



Johii Frese of Esscx=f 



John Fresc of t=( iccilfa da. of Arnold 
Northampton- Pfedon of.Lipswicin 
shire Saxonie 



James Frese ef London marchant a 1(133 



JAMES FFRESE. 



Upon sight of aii auntient Scale p'duoed by 
SI? Frese this entrance was raadi; whoso relation 
I'll' the coll* thereof was accordingly set dnwne lie 
further saith that they are a Saxon Famely & 
branched frorii the Dukes of Freze 



nutttw 



Laiigbarnt. 



COAT OF ARMS 



FREESE FAMILY. 41 



JAMES FREESE. 

So far as I am able to learn, this James was the first Freese 
born in America, and is probably the ancestor of the greater 
number of that name in New England, especially of Massa- 
chusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. The records of the 
town of Salisbury, Mass., give 1 641-2, as the date of his 
birth. It will be noticed that this was but twelve years after 
the coming of Winthrop. He may have been a descendant of 
the James of England, whose Coat of Arms accompanies this 
work. His name was James and both his father and grand- 
father were in England before him. It will be noticed that 
he was a merchant in Lime street in 1633 — nine years be- 
fore James of Salisbury was born. Tradition says our family 
came from England. This was probably the James Freese 
who testified that, in his belief, "Goody" Martin was a 
witch. On this and other testimony she was hanged. It was 
he or his son James (it could have been either so far 
as age was concerned) who was killed at Casco, near Port- 
land, by the Indians in 1689. He seems to have been a ship- 
builder at "Jamico," Salisbury, now Amesbury. One James 
is said to have been a brick mason. 

Child: 

James 2 , son of James 1 and Elizabeth, b. Mar. 16, 
1666. 

Lieut. Jacob Freese appears first at Hampton, N. H., 
and the historian of the town, Dow, says he was probably a 
son of James, born in 1667. The Lieut, was born in Hamp- 
ton, N. H., September 29, 1685. Lie married Rachael 
Chase, daughter of Joseph, of Hampton. 



N. H. PROBATE RECORDS. 
JACOB FREESE. 

Warrant, December 8, 1727, authorizing Capt. Joshua 
Wingate and Christopher Page, both of Hampton, to ap- 



42 FREESE FAMILY. 

praise the estate of Jacob Freese of Hampton, who died 
intestate, administration being granted to his widow Rachael. 

Inventory: amount, £i,iii 8s. 2d; signed by Joshua 
Wingate and Christopher Page, sworn to by Rachael Freese, 
widow and administratrix, and by Joshua Wingate and Chris- 
topher Page, February 13, 1727-8. 

Since the pound sterling was worth in the Lieutenant's 
time several times what it is now, he must have left his widow 
a very considerable estate. 

Lieut. Jacob Freese 3 (James 2 , James 1 ), moved from 
Hampton to New Castle, following his trade of shipbuilding. 

Children : 

Joseph (Ensign), b. Oct. 6, 17 10; m. Sarah Sherburn, 

who d. July 8, 1752. 
Benjamin, b. Aug. 29, 17 12; d. June 26, 1 7 1 5. 
Jonathan, b. Dec. 27, 1714; m. Sarah Ayers; d. Apr. 

5, 1748. 
Jacob, b. Oct. 10, 17 16; m. Susanna — 
Rachel, b. Oct. 9, 1718; d. Jan. 16, 1736. 
Elizabeth, b. Jan. 18, 1722; d. May 10, 1722. 
Anna, bp. Mar. 10, 1723. 
Catherine, b. June 12, 1726; m. Moore, of Stratham, 

N. H. 

Jonathan 4 (Jacob 3 , James 2 , James 1 ), had 

Children : 

Rachel, b. July 19, 1737; d. Oct. 6, 1754. 
Jonathan Chase, b. Aug. 31, 1739. 
Sarah, b. Mar. 12, 1742; d. Oct. 12, 1754. 
George, b. May 5, 1745 ; m. Margaret Walker, Sept. 2, 

1768. 
Joseph, b. Aug. 3, 1748. 

Note: — A Joseph Freese of Portsmouth, 1784, had children 
baptized in Hampton — Abagail, Apr. 29, 1 781; Joseph, Dec. 2, 
1 781; Sarah, Aug. 22, 1784. 

George and Joseph were placed under the guardianship of Jona- 
than Moulton of Hampton, with Daniel Pierce and Hunking Went- 
worth (a brother of Gov. John) both of Portsmouth. Their sureties 
were £500. When we remember that the estate was insolvent, the 
sureties appear excessive. 

Jonathan's widow became the wife of Philip Dow of Hampton, 
N. H. 



\/ 



FREESE FAMILY. 43 

Jacob Freese 4 (Lieut. Jacob 3 , James 2 , James 1 ), was 
born in Hampton, N. H., October 10, 1716; died in Epping, 
April 20, 1780; married Susannah — . 

In Company of Capt. Stephen Clark, as shown in Bureau 
of Pen., Washington, D. C, the name of Jacob Freese ap- 
pears on pension roll, he being a private. Capt. C. was of 
Epping, N. H., and went with a portion of his men to Winter 
Hill, Somerville, Mass., in December, 1775. 

Children : 

Andrew, b. Oct. 1, 1747. 

Jacob, 

Elizabeth, b. — , 1751. 

Dudley, b. — , 1757. 

Gordon, b. — , 1761. 

Andrew Freese 5 (Jacob 4 , Lieut. Jacob 3 , James 2 , 
James 1 ), was born in Epping, but removed to Deerfield, 
October 19, 1773, and died there in 18 14. He seems to 
have been first selectman during 1777-8-9, as per the follow- 

"October 1, — , paid a claim of the men that are engaged 
in the Service of the United States of America for the Parish 
of Deerfield, as follows, viz.: Nathan Moulton (et al) year 

!777> 1773, 1779- 

C Andrew Freese, 
Selectmen : < Nathan Sanborn, 
( Moses Chase." 

It is recorded that Andrew took up arms against the king 
in 1776, but I find no record of his military service. 

Children : 

Sarah married Isiah Langley and lived in Andover, N. 
H. She died Feb. 6. 1853, leaving children; one of 
whom, Dudley Freese, lives in Minn. 
Ann married James Tucker and lived in Deerfield till 
the time of her death, Aug. 27, 1849. 

Children: Charles, Harriet, Dudley F., Eliza, 
Franklin Gilman, Mary Ann, and John True. 

Jacob Freese 6 (Andrew"', Jacob*, Lieut. Jacob 3 , 
James 2 , James 1 ), married Eunice, daughter of Benjamin 
James. 



44 FREESE FAMILY. 

Children : 

Andrew; m. Sally True Jenness; moved to Bangor, Me.; 
was keeper of jail in Bangor; died there. One of 
his sons was a sea captain. 

Benjamin James; m. first, Sally Morrill; second, Jane 
Canfield. He d. May 12, 1872. 

Joseph Warren; d. young. 

Jacob; d. young. 

Jackson ; m. Martha Hanscomb, of Deerfield, and 
lives ( ?) in Pittsfield, N. H. 

Eunice James; m. Gilbert Robinson, of Deerfield. She 
died, leaving one son, Jacob Freese Robinson, a mer- 
chant in Epsom, N. H. 

John McClary. Lives on the homestead ; is unmar- 
ried ; has been representative, and held other offices. 

Clara Ann. She lives with her brother, John. 



Gordon Freese 6 (Andrew 5 , Jacob 4 , Jacob 3 , James 2 , 
James 1 ), married Hannah Allen of Epsom, N. H., and re- 
moved to Levant, Me., in 18 14, where he died leaving 

Children : 

Sally, 

Darius, 

Eliza Jane, 

Gordon, 

Hannah, 

Andrew, b. Nov. 1, 1816; m. Elizabeth Merrill, of 

Cleveland, Ohio, June 17, 1847; d. Sept. 2, 1904, 

in Cleveland. 
Nancy, b. — , 1819. 
Drucella, b. — , 1821. 
Josep Warren, b. — , 1823. 
Elmina. 



Andrew Freese 6 (Gordon 5 , Jacob 4 , Lieut. Jacob 3 , 
James 2 , James 1 ). 

Child: 

Elmina, b. Sept. 14, 1855; m. James G. Hobbie, of Bel- 
fast, Me., Sept. 5, 1 88 1. 




ANDREW FREESE 



FREESE FAMILY. 45 

Elmina Freese (Hobbie) had — 

Children : 

Andrew Freese, b. Sept. 7, 1882; d. — 
Esther, b. Sept. 12, 1883. 
Roger, b. Feb. 13, 1888; d. — 
Elizabeth, b. July 6, 1889. 

Note : — A Gordon Freese appears as "a private, name on pay- 
roll by the State of N. H., of Capt. Daniel Gordon's Co., in Col. 
Thomas Bartlett's regt. of militia raised by N. H. for the defence of 
the U. S., 1780 — at West Point. Entered July 15, 1780. Dis- 
charged Oct. 25, 1780. Service 3 mo., 11 da. Wages per month 
£134." This hints at depreciation of the currency. Gordon received 
bounty of £4-ios. Enlisted Sept. 15, 1777, and again, Aug. 5, 1778. 

Joseph Freese enlisted Aug. 5, 1778, discharged Aug. 27, Co. of 
Capt. Moses Leavitt. If this Joseph were Ensign Joseph, son of 
Lieut. Jacob, then he was sixty-eight years old at the time of his en- 
listment. 

[Copy of Paper written by Andrew Freese, of Cleveland, 

dated April i, 1849.] 

My grandfather, Andrew, moved from some place near 
Newburyport and settled in Deerfield, N. H. He had three 
sons and two daughters. The sons were Jacob, Gordon and 
Dudley. Jacob and Dudley raised up families in Deerfield, 
where they both have died since 1840. Only one of Dud- 
ley's sons is now living and he is unmarried. Jacob's sons 
now living are: Andrew, John, Jackson, and Benjamin. Ben- 
jamin and Andrew have families — Jackson and John are 
not married. Andrew moved to Bangor, Me., some ten years 
ago, where he now resides. The other members of the family 
still reside in New Hampshire. 

Gordon Freese, my father, moved to Levant, Penobscot 
Co., in 18 16. His children's names are as follows: Sally, 
Darius, Jane, Gordon, Hannah, Andrew, Nancy, DaruciUa, 
Elmina, and Joseph Warren. Jane, Nancy, Elmina and 
Joseph are dead. 

Darius had a family, and is a farmer in Levant. Gordon 
went to Kentucky some eight years ago, where he has been en- 
gaged in teaching. He married there two or three years 
since. I came to Cleveland in 1839, where I have been en- 
gaged in teaching. 

A. Freese. 



46 FREESE FAMILY. 

Preserved by Fannie Prichard Parker, she supposing it to have had 
her grandfather's signature. Her grandfather was Abraham, son of 
Jacob Freese, of N. Y., an immigrant from Germany or Holland. 

Dudley Freese 6 (Andrew 5 , Jacob 4 , Lieut. Jacob 3 , 
James 2 , James 1 ), married Ruth, daughter of John Stearns, 
of Deerfield, and lived on the homestead of the first Andrew.. 
He taught school for some years; was selectman; representa- 
tive; road commissioner, and was appointed judge of the 
Court of Common Pleas in 1832, which office he held at his 
death, April 15, 1843. 

Children: 

Sally Stearns, b. Aug. 7, 1812; m. Nov. 10, 1835, 
William Norris; lived in Lowell, Mass.; d. May 24, 
1875. Her children by Geo. W. Norris were Sarah 
M., Clara G., and Celia A. 

Dudley, b. Mar. 23, 1814; d. unmarried in 1838, hav- 
ing been in trade at the Parade. 

Mary E., b. Sept. 9, 181 7; m. Enoch F. Stevens, of 
Deerfield, Nov. 17, 1836. They lived at the Parade. 
They had twelve children — Horace, Mary, Hobart, 
Dudley, Enoch, Geo., Mary E., Sarah, Geo. F., 
Frank , Clara, and Fred. 

Abagail, b. July 26, 18 19; m. Jeremiah D. Tilton, Dec. 
31, 1840; d. 1858. She had ten children — Aus- 
tin B., Ruthena, Sarah True, Harriet, Carey, Jo- 
siah, Mary, William, Sarah Francis, and Sally, the 
last two being twins. 

Caroline, b. June 19, 1821; m. Nathan Griffin, of 
Deerfield, Jan. 17, 1843; d. Aug. 4, 1865. Her 
children were — Laroy, Nathan, Roger, and Carrie. 

William G., b. June 24, 1823; m. Susan E. Batchelder, 
daughter of John, Jan. 9, 1850. 



Children of William G. ; 

Dudley, 

John F., 

William, 

Olive E., 

Martha Winkley, b. May 10, 1827 ; m. Jan. 27, 1851, 
W'inthrop T. Prescott. Her children were Martha 
F., Charles H., Bertine O., and Nellie R. 



FREESE FAMILY. 47 

Andrew Freese 7 (Jacob", Andrew 3 , Jacob 4 , Lieut. 
Jacob 3 , James 2 , James 1 ), married Sally True Jenness of 
Deerfield, and was a merchant at the Parade; moved to Ban- 
gor, Me., was keeper of the jail there and died there. 

Child: 

Andrew Jackson- Freese 8 (Andrew 7 , Jacob 6 , An- 
drew 5 , Jacob 4 , Lieut. Jacob 3 , James 2 , James 1 ), was born 
in Deerfield, N. H., in 1832; died in Bangor, June, 1881. 
He was a shipmaster and manufacturer. He married Har- 
riet Langdon of Wilton, England, September 19, 1866. She 
was born December 2, 1844, an d was married in Cardiff, 
Wales. 

Children: 

Andrew Langdon, b. Feb. 17, 1869, in Savannah, Ga. ; 
m. Mary Bartlett Drummond, in 1892. 

Sarah Jenness, b. July 27, 1877, i n Cardiff, Wales. 

Mary Elizabeth, b. May 4, 1873, in Patagonia, So. A. 

John Henry, b. Mar. 4, 1876, in Bangor, Me. He 
was, for a time, a student in Harvard College, but is 
now practicing law in N. Y. City. He seems to have 
given special attention to astronomy, having publish- 
ed one or more popular articles on the subject. 



48 FREESE FAMILY. 



FREESE (FREES) FAMILY. 

[Data copied from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the 
American Revolution by John Wesley Freese of Cam- 
bridge, Mass., — , 1900.] 

"Frees, Abraham. Capt. Gideon Parker's Company; 
Col. Little's regt. ; Company receipt for advance pay, dated 
Cambridge, July 2, 1775. 

Frees, Abraham, corporal, Capt. Nathaniel Fales's 
Company; entered service August 3, 1779; discharged Au- 
gust 15, 1779; service, 13 days; Company marched on an 
expedition to Majorbagaduce (Castine, Me.) by order of 
Gen. Lovell. 

Frees, John, corporal, Capt. Nathaniel Fales's Com- 
pany; entered service August 3, 1779; discharged August 15, 
1779; service, 13 days; Company marched as above. 

Frees, John, Jr., private, Capt. N. Fales's Company; 
enlisted and discharged as above. 

Freese (spelled as here) Abram (spelled as here), Deer 
Island. Private, Capt. Gideon Parker's Company; Col. 
Moses Little's regt. (17th) ; Company return dated October 
8, 1775 ; enlisted July 14, 1775 ; age 26 years. 

Freese, Isaac, private in a Company commanded by 
Lieut. Andrew Gilman; enlisted August 20, 1777; discharged 
January 22, 1778; service 5 months, 2 days; Company sta- 
tioned at Penobscot; roll dated Boston; also, same Company; 
pay roll made up for 15! days' additional service after date 
of discharge, January 22, 1778, news of their discharge not 
having reached them until February 7, 1778. 



FREESE FAMILY. 



49 



Freese, John, return dated Wells, June 4, 1781, of 
bounties paid said Freese and others of the town of Wells 
for enlisting to serve in the Continental Army for the term of 
three years or during war, agreeable to resolve of December 
2, 1780. 

Freese — [This name also appears under the form of 
Freeas, Frees, Freese, Freize, Frieze, Frise, Frize, Fries, 
Freze, Ffrese] — Abraham, Deer Island. Muster roll dated 
August 1, 1775; enlisted July 14, 1775, service 18 days; also 
corporal Capt. Parker's Company, Col. Little's (12th) regt. ; 
enlisted January 1, 1776 [service not given]. 

Freeze, Abram, Deer Island. List of men mustered by 
Nathaniel Barber, Muster Master, for Suffolk County, 
dated Boston March 2, 1777; Capt. Lane's Company; Col. 
Nixon's regt. 

Freeze, John, Newbury. Descriptive list of men raised 
in Essex County for the term of nine months from the time 
of their arrival at Fishkill, agreeable to a resolve of April 20, 
1778; age 25 years; stature 5 ft. 9 in.; complexion, light; 
hair, brown; eyes, light; resident; engaged for the town of 
Newbury; arrived at Fishkill, June 15, 1778. 

By the above, this John was born in 1753. He was 
doubtless a brother of Abraham, and, being a "Junior," taken 
with the fact that John, John, Jr., and George Frees of Deer 
Isle, Me., agreed to support preaching, it would seem clear 
that Abraham's father was John. This coincides with the 
tradition (see Andrew Freese of Cleveland) that one brother 
settled on an island in Penobscot Bay while another went to 
Epping, N. H.). 

Freese, John, private, Capt. Peter Combes's Company, 
Lieut. Col. Joseph's (?) regt.; enlisted May 29, 1780; dis- 
charged January 28, 178 1 ; service eight months, under Brig. 
Gen. P. Wadsworth at the Eastward. Roll sworn to at 
Brunswick and certified at Thomaston." 

It is a matter of no small interest to the writer that the 
description of "John" above would have answered perfectly 
for himself at the same age. 



50 FREESE FAMILY. 

[From N. H. State Papers.] 

Freese, Jacob, of Newbury, Mass. Descriptive list of 
men raised in Essex County for the term of nine months 
from the time of their arrival at Fishkill, agreeable to resolve 
of April 20, 1778. Age, 25 years; stature, 5 ft. 9 in.; com- 
plexion, light; residence, Newbury; engaged for the town of 
Newbury. Arrived at Fishkill June 15, 1778. Returned 
August 1, 1778. 

Gordon Freese, a private, name on pay roll by the 
State of New Hampshire, of Capt. Daniel Gordon's Com- 
pany, in Col. Thos. Bartlet's regt. of Militia raised by New 
Hampshire for the defence of the United States, 1780 — at 
West Point. Entered July 15, 1780. Discharged October 
25, 1780. Service 3 months 11 days. Wages, per month, 
£134. (This hints strongly of depreciation of the currency.) 
Gordon received bounty of £4 10s. Enlisted September 15, 
1777, and again August 5, 1778. 

Joseph Freese enlisted August 5, 1778, discharged Au- 
gust 27. Company of Capt. Moses Leavitt. 

Jacob Freese of New Hampshire, was a pensioner after 
the war, name on roll at Washington, D. C. 

Richard Deighton et al to Retire Whittemore. 

power. 
B. 149. P. 47. 

Know all men by these Presents, that we, the sub- 
scribers in the County of Essex & the county of Lincoln both 
in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, mariners, & yeoman, 
&c, for divers considerations have made or ordained, consti- 
tuted & appointed & by these presents do make, ordain, con- 
stute & appoint Retire Whittemore of Salem, in the County 
of Essex trazder, our true & lawful attorney for us & in our 
names & to our use to ask, demand recover or receive or sell, 
convey, confmrm the /zole of such estate as may or shall be 
combing to us from Edmund Whittemore or Sarah Whitte- 
more our pairantes both of said pairantes decked & that our 



FREESE FAMILY. 5 I 

said Attorney shall have full power & righ within himself to 
sell & convey & confirm the said Estates to any such person 
as may h<?tf rafter appear to buy such Estates to them & to 
their heirs forever by virtue of this power & the virtue of this 
power shall forever discharge & defend the said Reteir Whit- 
temore & his heirs forever from any claim or demand which 
shall or may be made by us or our heirs forever & that our 
Attorney shall have full power to Act in all cases as tho' we 
ourselves were perso;//y present Ratifying & confirming and 
allowing our said Attorney — do or coause to be done therein 
& this warrant shall be his sufficient discharge by virtue of 
these presents, in witness whereof we have put our hands & 
seal — this twenty first day of February one thousand seven 
hundred & eighty seven & in the eleventh year of the Inde- 
pendence of America. 

Richard Deighton & a seal. 

Sarah Deighton & a seal. 

Henry Lovitt & a seal. 

Lydia Lovitt & a seal. 

Richard Whittemore & a seal. 

Abraham Frees & a seal. 

Hannah Frees & a seal. 

Signed, Sealed & delivered in the presents of us 

Richd. Valpy. 

Lincoln ss. Penobsa/t, June 12, 1787, personally ap- 
peared the within named Abraham Frees & Hannah Frees 
his wife & acknowledged the within written Instrument by 
them Signed & Sealed to be their free Act & Deed, before me, 

Joseph Hibbert, /. Peace. 

Essex — . Salem, July 2d, 1788. Then the within 
named Sarah Deighton & Lydia Lovitt personally appeared 
& acknowledged the within written Instrument to be their 
free Act & Deed, before me, 

Richard Manning, Just. Pacis. 

Essex ss. Reed. July 2, 1788, & recorded & examd. by 

John Pickering, Regr. 



52 FREESE FAMILY. 

Essex Registry Deeds, So. Dist, 

Salem, January 28, 1901. 

The foregoing is a true copy of record in this office. 

Attest : 

Willard J. Hale, Register. 

Retire Whittemore, Attorney, &c, 

TO 

Jonathan Archer. 
B. 149. L. 48. 

Know all men by these Presents, that I, Retire 
Whittemore of Salem, in the County of Essex in the State 
of Massachusetts Bay, marriner for & in consideration of 
the sum of twenty pounds to me in hand before the delivery 
hereof well & truly paid by Jonathan Archer 3d, barber of 
Salem aforesaid or his heirs or his Assigns the receipt where- 
of I do hear acknowledge — have given granted bargained & 
sold & by these presents do give grant bargain sell allay 
enfeoff convey & confirm unto the said Jonathan or his heirs 
& assigns forever, a sert<?n trad? of land situate in Salem near 
the east meeting house & bounding as follows, viz. : Norther- 
ly on Main street, eastly on land of Samuel Murray, Southly 
on land of Richard Collings & westly on Meeting house lane 
that is to say one third part of the above mensend land or all 
the said land which belonged to Sarah Whittemore deceast, 
together with all the said house & priviledge belonging to the 
said Sarah or heirs. To have & to hold said granted 
premises with all the priviledges & appurtenances to the same 
belonging to said Jonathan his heirs & assigns to have the 
only proper use benefit forever and I the said Retire for my- 
self my heirs executors and administrators do nearby cove- 
nant grant & agree to & with the said Jonathan & his heirs & 
assigns that until the delivery hereof I am the true sole & 
lawful oner of the said premises by virtue of a power to me 
signed by the heirs of the said Estate to sell & convey to 
any person whatsoever being lawfully seized & possed there- 
of in my owne proper Estate & inheritance righte in fee 
simple & have full power & lawful authority to grant & 



FREESE FAMILY. 53 

convay the same in manner aforesaid that the said premises 
are free & clear of all & every incumbrance whatsoever & 
that in any degra make void this deed as executor & adminis- 
trators shall & will warrant the same to the said Jonathn for 
myself & heirs & assigns against the lawful claimes & de- 
mands of any person or persons whomsoever. 

In Witness Whereof, I have he^runto set my hand & 
seal this Second day of July one thousand seven hundred & 
eighty eight & in the twelfth year of the Independence of 
America. 

Retire Whittemore & a seal. 

Signed, Sealed & delivered in the presence of 

Richard Manning. 
John Flint. 

Essex ss. Salem, July 2d, 1788. Then the above named 
Retire Whittemore personally appeared & acknowledged the 
above & within written Instrument to be his free Act & Deed, 
before me, 

Richard Manning, Just, o Pads. 

Essex ss. Reed. July 2, 1788, & recorded & examd. by 

John Pickering, Regr. 

Essex Registry Deeds, So. Dist, 

Salem, January 28, 1901. 

The foregoing is a true copy of record in this office. 

Attest : 

Willard J. Hale, Register. 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 
Office of the Secretary. 

Revolutionary War Service of 
ABRAHAM FREEZE. 

Abraham Freeze: Appears with rank of Private on 
Muster Roll of Capt. Gideon Parker's Company, Col. 
Moses Little's regt., dated August 1, 1775. Time of enlist- 



54 FREESE FAMILY. 

ment, July 14, 1775. Time of service, 18 days. Town to 
which soldier belonged, Deer Island. — Vol. 15 : 91. 

Abraham Frees : Appears in a Company receipt for 
Advance Pay, given by Company, dated Cambridge, July 2, 
1775, payable to said Frees. Pay due on account of service 
in Capt. Gideon Parker's Company, Col. Little's regt. 
[Autograph signature appears on roll.] — Vol. 35: 57. 

Abram Freese : Appears with rank of- Private on Com- 
pany Return of Capt. Gideon Parker's Company, Col. 
Moses Little's (17th) regt., dated October 8, 1775. Re- 
ported enlisted July 14, 1775. Age given, 26 years. Town 
to which soldier belonged, Deer Island. — Vol. 56: 81. 

Abraham Freeas : Appears among signatures to an 
Order for Bounty Coat or its equivalent in money, due for 
the Eight Months Service in 1775, in Capt. Gideon Parker's 
Company, Col. Moses Little's regt., dated Prospect Hill, 
December 28, 1775. Payable to Capt. Parker. — Vol. 57: 
file 9. 

Abraham Freese : Appears with grade of Corporal in 
copy of a Company Return of Capt. Gideon Parker's Com- 
pany, Col. Moses Little's (12th) regt. Enlisted January 1, 
1776. — Vol. 23: 204. 

Abraham Frees: Appears with rank of Corporal on 
Muster and Pay Roll of Capt. Nathaniel Fales's Company. 
Time of entry, August 3, 1779. Time of discharge, August 
J 5> J 779- Service, 13 days, on Penobscot Expedition. Com- 
pany marched to Majorbagaduce on expedition by order of 
Gen. Lovel. — Vol. 37: pages 86 and 125. 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 
Office of the Secretary. 

Boston, December 28, 1900. 

I certify the foregoing to be true abstracts from the 
Record Index of the Revolutionary War Archives deposited 
in this office. 

Witness the Seal of the Commonwealth. 

[seal] Wm. M. Olin, 

Secretary. 



FREESE FAMILY. 55 

FREESE FAMILY 

FROM 

Hosmer's History of Deer Isle, Me. 

"The land lying south of what is known as Long Cove 
was first settled by three brothers named Abraham, John, 
and Isaac Freeze — neither of whom remained here for many 
years. 

"*The descendants of the last named still reside in the 
city of Ellsworth and in some of the towns north of it, on the 
Union River, and now spell their names Frazier. 

"The descendants of Abrahamf Freeze moved up the 
Penobscot River and reside in the towns north of the city of 
Bangor, and they retain the name Freese. 

"The wife of John had no children, and when the late 
Hon. Richard Warren was, when young, left an orphan (he 
was a grandson of a brother of her husband), she took care 
of him till he became able to do something for his own sup- 
port. After his marriage he took her to his own home and 
provided for her during her life, showing a commendable 
gratitude, which is pleasant to remember. The Messrs. Freese 
sold out their rights to Messrs. Mark Haskell & Sons, who 
had their rights allotted as settlers adjoining. 

"George Freeze, a brother of the persons mentioned of 
the same name, settled upon the lot east of that of the 
Messrs. Babbidge, and where they [the Freezes?] came 
from is not known to us; he came about the same time as 
did the others, which was quite early, and of him but little is 
now known. His children removed from here, and nearly all 
of their descendants reside in the towns north of Bangor,:}: 
on the river. The only one of his grandchildren who re- 
mained was the late Hon. Richard Warren, a son of the 
Mr. Thomas Warren before noticed, and he was born on 
what is now known as Freeze's Island, in 1786; he died in 



*This is an error of the historian. Reference must have been to 
Isaac, son of George, born in Deer Isle May 30, 1769. 

j-Had the historian known, he would have said, "Abraham and 
Isaac." 

^Another error. They resided chiefly in Ellsworth, but are now- 
much scattered. 



56 FREESE FAMILY. 

1865. Mr. Warren purchased the farm occupied by Mr. 
Freeze, upon which he [Mr. Warren] resided till his death, 
and it is now owned and occupied by his son-in-law, Capt. 
Gideon Hatch." 

Among those agreeing in 1785 to contribute "toward the 
settlement and support of a gospel minister" are: George 
Frees, John Frees, and John Frees, Jr. 

Now, since the "wife of John," brother of Abraham, 
"had no children," who was John, Jr.? 

In the archives in Boston I find the following: 
"Frees, John, Jr., private, Capt. Nathaniel Fales's 
Company; entered service August 3, 1779; discharged Au- 
gust 15, 1779; service 13 days. The same records state that 
Abraham enlisted the same day, and was discharged the same 
day. They were undoubtedly brothers. And since he was 
John Junior, his father must have been John." 

Great probability is lent this theory in the statement 
above, viz., that George, John, and John Freese, Jr., agree 
to contribute to the support of preaching in Deer Isle. Fi- 
nally, I have no doubt on this point, for my grandfather, in 
answer to my direct question as to the name of his grandfa- 
ther, said, as I distinctly remember, "His name was John." 



MISCELLANEOUS. 57 



MISCELLANEOUS. 

"Beneath the roots of tangled weeds, 
Afar in country graveyards, lie 
The men whose unrecorded deeds 

Have stamped their nation's destiny." 

Apropos of finding a slate stone literally among "tangled weeds" 
marking the grave of one John Freese in an old burying ground 
in Hampton, N. H. Its date was 1727. 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

To the Honble. the Senate and House of Representatives in 
General Court assembled: 

The Petition of the Inhabitants of Deer Island in the County 
of Lincoln Humbly Showeth : 

That your Petitioners or their Ancestors about twenty 
Years since settled on the above Island which they laid out 
into Sixty-three Lots, and have improved sixty-one of said 
Lots for the support of themselves and Families — That 
they made a reserve of the other two, the one for a Person- 
age, and the other for a School Lot. That the other Lots 
have been held and possessed ever since by your Petitioners 
their Ancestors or those who purchased of them. 

Your Petitioners beg Leave to acquaint your Honors that 
a House has been built upon all of said Lots, and upon some 
of them more than one, as the Inhabitants increase very fast, 
and that the present number of Families amount to near 
Eighty; and upward of thirty Young Men who are of age 
unmarried, and now residing on said Island who are the 
Sons of the Original Settlers.. 

Your Petitioners have ordered a House for Public Wor- 
ship and had preaching in it before and since the War. 

The number of Souls now on the Island amounting to 
upward of four hundred. 

That when the first settlers removed to said Island it was 



58 MISCELLANEOUS. 

a Desert inhabited by none of the Human Species whatever 
in any other Way than the Crowns pretensions to unim- 
proved Lands. 

That your Petitioners or their Ancestors petitioned the 
Government of their Colony of Massachusetts Bay for a 
Grant of said Island settled upon by them and their Families, 
but were prevented from obtaining the same by a suggestion 
that it was the exclusive Right of the Crown to make such 
Grant. 

Your Petitioners beg Leave to suggest to your Honors 
that altho they were within the Enemies Lines, and intirely 
in their Power, and obliged to submit to Superior Force; yet 
your Petitioners were heartily Friends to the cause of their 
Country; and have done everything in their Power to prevent 
the King's Troops from obtaining Supplies from this Place 
when they were in Possession of the Capital of this Com- 
monwealth; refusing absolutely to carry on any Trade with 
them. And that even while in their Power no Assistance was 
given them only when compelled thereto and utterly against 
the Mind of your Petitioners: — 

And that your Petitioners received nothing from them 
but only that was absolutely necessary for the Subsistence 
of their Families, as every other resource was shut up. 

Your Petitioners now humbly submit the above particu- 
lars to the wise Consideration of your Honors, praying that 
as this Commonwealth have happily obtained their Indepen- 
dence of that Power who wantonly shed the Blood of its 
Citizens in Order to carry their Arbitrary Laws into execu- 
tion. 

That your Honors would considering the many, great 
and almost inexpressible Hardships and Sufferings that the 
Petitioners and their Ancestors have undergone in the Settle- 
ment of an inhospitable Wilderness, and during the residence 
of the British Troops at Bagaduce [Castine]. And as your 
Petitioners are desirous of paying their proportionate Part 
of the taxes for the support of the Government of this Com- 
monwealth under whose protection they are, and that they 
may be incorporated with all the Priviledges and immunities 
of their Fellow Citizens, they therefore humbly intreat your 
Honors to grant and release to them their Heirs and Assigns 
all the Rights and Title that this Commonwealth may have 
to the said Island; and that the Petitioners may hold the 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



59 



same under the Government as a good Estate in Fee Simple 
and in the same Manner as the Estates of the Citizens of the 
Commonwealth are held. 

And your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray 
&c. 

Joseph Tyler, 



Mark Haskell, 
William Babbage, 
Joseph Whittemore, 
George Frees, 
John Frees, 
and 59 others. 



Petition granted Feb. i, 1785, 
* James Bowdoin, Governor; Samu- 
el Adams, President of the Senate. 



{From Archives, Boston Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors 
of the American Revolution.] 

Freese, John. Return dated Wells, June 4, 178 1, of 
bounties paid said Freese and others of the town of Wells 
for enlisting to serve in the Continental Army for the term 
of three years or during the war, agreeable to resolve of 
Dec. 2, 1780. 

Freese, John, Jr., Private — Capt. Nathaniel Fales's 
Co. — enlisted Aug. 3, 1779, discharged Aug. 15, 1779. 

Freese, Abraham, Deer Island, Private — Capt. Gideon 
Parker's Co., Col. Moses Little's (17th) regt. ; company 
return dated Oct. 8, 1775; enlisted July 14, 1775; age 26 
yrs. 

Freese, Isaac. Private in a company commanded by 
Lieut. Andrew Gilman; enlisted Aug. 20, 1777; discharged 
Jan. 22, 1778; service 5 mo. 2 days; company stationed at 
Penobscot; roll dated Boston. Also same company, pay roll 
made up for 15 1-2 days additional service after date of dis- 
charge, Jan. 22, 1778, news of their discharge not having 
reached them until Feb. 7, 1778. 

[Bangor Hist. Magazine, 1885-6.] 
Settlers' Names, Bangor. 

1786, Dec. 16. Abraham Freeze — Isaac Freese. 
Schedule of Deeds from Mass. Rec'ds showing nearly every 



60 MISCELLANEOUS. 

settler prior to Feb. 17, 1798, and nearly where they located, 
running from Hampden to Orono line. No. of lot 33, Rob- 
ert Treat assignee of Isaac Freeze, No. of lot 34, Robert 
Treat assignee of Abraham Freeze, No. of lot 35, Bulkley 
Emerson assignee of John Freeze. 

1797. John Freese has two acres cleared and a hut. 

1797. Survey of what is now Orono. VII. Abraham 
Frees 100 rods by 45, good new log house and barn, some 
good land on river, settled 1790. 

VIII. John Frees, Jr., 50 by 30 frame house 1790. 

1 8 13. Argyle. Wm. Freese, Isaac, Geo. & John. 
Freese famile of Orono. 

Isaac Frees of Penobscot River and Abraham Frees for 
£200 sell Ignatius and Soloman Haskell of Newbury, a tract 
of land in Deer Isle: this land near Long Cove, and John 
Frees and Cole and Babbidge. 

Sept. 2, 1778, Vol. I, p. 367, Hancock Records. 

1783. Isaac Frees, Abraham Frees, witnesses to a con- 
tract at Deer Isle. 

Jacob Bussell the first white settler in Bangor in 1769. 
His son married Sarah Freeze and lived in Argyle. Had 
13 children. 

Apr. 10, 1 8 13, John Marsh married Betheah Freese fff 
Sunkhaze. 

Mar. 25, 1 8 13, Isaac Freese, Jr., married Mehitable 
Warren of Orono. 

Dec. 6, 1 8 10, intentions of marriage of Retire W. 
Freese and Fanny White. (His. Mag. 1890-91). Paul 
Dudley married Mary, daughter of Geo. Freese of Argyle, 
Sept. 1, 1808, born in Bangor, died in 1856. (His. Mag. 
Jan. and Dec. 1893.) Deer Island Settlers. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 6 I 

Freeze, Abraham, Deer Island. Muster roll dated 
Aug. i, 1775; enlisted July 14, 1775; service 18 days; also 
corporal, Capt. Parker's Co., Col. Little's (12th) regt. ; 
enlisted Jan. 1, 1776. Date of discharge not given. 

Freeze, Abraham, Deer Island. List of men mustered 
by Nathaniel Barber, Muster Master for Suffolk Co., dated 
Boston, Mar. 2, 1777; Capt. Lane's Co.; Col. Nixon's regt. 

Freeze, John, Newbury. Descriptive list of men raised 
in Essex Co. for the term of 9 mo. from the time of their 
arrival at Fishkill, agreeable to a resolve of Apr. 20, 1778; 
age 25 yrs. ; stature 5 ft. 9 in.; complexion, light; hair, brown; 
eyes, light, resident; engaged for the town of Newbury; 
arrived in Fishkill June 15, 1778. 

Freeze, John, Private, Capt. Peter Combes's Co., 
Lieut. Col. Joseph's regt., enlisted May 29, 1780; discharged 
Jan. 28, 1781; service 8 mo., under Brig. Gen. P. Wads- 
worth [Longfellow's grandfather] at the Eastward. Roll 
sworn to at Brunswick and certified at Thomaston. 

FREESE FAMILY. 

Abraham 2 Freese (John 1 ) married Hannah Whitte- 
more, June 25, 1777, ceremony by the Rev. Thomas Bar- 
nard. 

WHITTEMORE. 

The common American ancestor of the Whittemore fam- 
ily was Thomas, who probably came to this country in 1641- 
42, and settled in Charlestown (afterward Maiden, now 
Everett) . He came from Hitchin, county of Hertford, Eng- 
land. His father, Thomas, lived in Hitchin, and was mar- 
ried in 1566. He died in Hitchin in 1617, a widower, and 
by his will dated 16 13, he gave £20 to Trustees "for the 
best sort of the poor people in Hitchin." Dr. Page (histo- 
rian of Cambridge) says that the emigrant, Thomas, prob- 
ably remained in England till about 1650. But this is evi- 
dently an error, since he purchased in 1 645 of the Rev. John 
Cotton, "meadow for two cows' grass." And this was adja- 
cent to land he previously owned, and that he had taken as 
wild land. His farm was bounded on the east by Chelsea, 



62 MISCELLANEOUS. 

and on the south by the Mystic river. The house he erected 
on this farm was standing as late as 1845, tnus lasting a 
period of more than two hundred years. It remained in 
the family till 1806, or later. Hannah's oldest sister, Eliza- 
beth, became the wife of Richard Mansfield of Lynn, Mass., 
at Salem, Jan. 7, 1768, and had 12 children. 

One Elizabeth Whittemore, wife of William Cuttler, 
was the mother of 36 children. 

On Mystic Street, in the rear of the Russell Schoolhouse, 
Arlington, Mass., is a granite tablet with the following in- 
scription : 

Near this Spot 

Samuel Whittemore 

Then 80 years old 

Killed three British Soldiers 

April 19, 1775. 

He was shot, bayoneted, 

Beaten and left for dead, 

But recovered and lived 

To be 98 years of age. 

He was a relative of Hannah Whittemore Freese. It 
will be of interest to the descendants of Abraham Freese to be 
reminded that his wife's next older brother was "Retier" 
Whittemore, since no less than six descendants bore the name 
Retire — viz., her son Retire, head of the Orono, Me., Frees- 
es, who had a son, Retire Whittemore, now living at the age 
of 70 years; her grandson, Retire, son of Capt. John; and 
his son, Retire, a soldier in the Civil War, but never after- 
ward heard from; Angal, son of Capt. John, son of Abra- 
ham, had a son Retire, and he has a son Retire, a Baptist 
minister. 

Notes on Freese Family: From Lincoln Co. Probate 
Court Records : Inventory of the property of the late Silas 
Hathorn made by Andrew Webster, James Budge, and Isaac 
Freeze, all of Penobscot River. 

Inventory of property of the late Courtney Babbage of 
Deer Island, by Joseph Whitemore, Belcher Tyler, and 
George Frees. 

Note: — Among Commissioners to examine claims, I find James 
Ginn, 1787, associated with Jonathan Lowder. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 63 

John Freese, son of Abraham, was chosen Moderator 
at town meeting in Orono in 18 10. 

On the 23d of May, 18 12, he rendered to the town clerk 
the following: "Sheep marked with a crop off left and hole 
through the right ear." 

He is said to have accompanied his father and mother 
and a Mr. Colburn (Edmund?) to the Kennebec when a 
mere infant. 

Although probably not more than a year old, he repeat- 
edly declared he had a distinct remembrance of one incident 
of the journey through the woods from the Penobscot to 
the Kennebec, viz. : the spending of one night with friendly 
Indians. 

A friend kindly sent me a list of more than forty Freeses 
of Chicago, but since they are almost without exception un- 
related to those of New England, it is not published here. 

WARREN — FREEZE. 

Thomas Warren settled on what is known as Warren's 
or Freeze's Island, now owned and occupied by the widow 
of Mr. Billings P. Hardy. It appears from what informa- 
tion we have had that he claimed a settler's right, but that it 
was disputed on the ground, doubtless, that he had not made 
a settlement in season to be entitled to one. His wife was the 
daughter of Mr. George Freeze, and by her he had three 
children ; one was the late Hon. Richard Warren, well known 
to us all, who died in 1865 at the age of 79. His wife was 
the daughter of Samuel Trundy, Sr. Another brother was 
William Warren, who died when a young man; a sister, 
Mary Warren, the wife of a Mr. Spencer, who lived in one 
of the towns on the Penobscot River above Bangor. 

FREESE FAMILY. 

The place where James Freese was killed was on Brack- 
ett's farm (Deering's later) at Back Cove, Falmouth, now 
Portland. Purpooduck, where Jacob Freese lived in 1689, 
is the aboriginal name for Spring Point, but the name later 
comprised the whole northern shore of Cape Elizabeth. 

Me. His. Soc, page 112, note. 



64 MISCELLANEOUS. 

Benjamin Dearborn, brother of Gen. Henry Dearborn, 
married Anna Freeze, and settled in Monmouth, Me. He 
was born 1745. His father lived once in Hampton, N. H. 

Me. Genealogical Rec, Vol. 5. 

Henry Bayly claims a small tract of land in Casco Bay 
that joins to y e Easterly End of Goodman ffrees Three acre 
Lott. 

Records of marriages in First Congregational Church, 
Biddeford, I find that Feb. 29, 1764, John Freese of Fal- 
mouth married Abigal Moore of Biddeford. 

In an account of a battle with Indians at Falmouth, 1689, 
we find the following : Wounded men — 6 Indians, friends 
of Silva Davis Comp., 4 — James freese second, Mr. Brem- 
hall, Thos. Browne, mr. Pallmer. 

Me. His. Soc., Vol. 4, page 454. 

In History of Wells and Kennebunk, among petitioners 
for separate parish was one John Freas. 



[Copied from Archives at State House, Boston, Dec. 28, 

IQOO. 

Frise, Jacob. Private Capt. Christopher Marshall's 
Co., Col. Thos. Marshall's regt. muster roll for Mar. 1779, 
dated West Point; enlisted June 15, 1778. 

Frieze, Jacob, Attleborough [Mass.]. Corporal, Capt. 
Saml. Robinson's Co.; enlisted June 21, 1778, service 22 
days, travel included, at R. I., in a regt. commanded by 
Col. Wade; company raised to serve 21 days from July 
[June] 21, 1778. Roll dated Attleborough. 

Frieze, Jacob, Braintree. Sergeant, Capt. Seth Turn- 
er's (Independent) Co., enlisted May 8, 1775, service 8 mo. 
13 days; enlisted for 8 mo. 

Frieze, John. Private, Capt. Thomas Robbin's Co.; 
enlisted May 30, 1778; discharged Dec. 1, 1778; service 6 



MISCELLANEOUS. 65 

mo. 9 days, travel included, under Col. John Allan ; co. raised 
to defend Machias. 

Was this John the father of John, Jr., Abraham, etc.? 

Jacob, son of John and Dorothy Freeze, born Nov. 10, 
1698. George, son of John and Dorothy, born Aug. 27, 
1709. George Freeze married Mary Atkinson Apr. 19, 
1737. She was daughter of John Jr. and Sarah Atkinson, 
and was born Feb. 19, 1709. George, son of George and 
Mary, born Dec. 6, 1737. Jacob, son of George and Mary, 
born Feb. 2, 1739. Jacob Freeze married Elizabeth Adams 
Dec. 17, 1 76 1. Jacob, son of Jacob and Elizabeth Freeze, 
was born Dec. 23, 1762, and all in Newbury, Mass. 

In Savage's Genealogical Dictionary I find the following : 

Freeze, Frieze, James, Salisbury, by w. Eliza, had 

James, b. 16 Mar. 1667. James, Casco, k. by the Ind. 1689, 

was prob. s. of the preced. left Jacob wh. rem. to Hampton 

and had Jonathan, George, and Joseph. Willis I. 210. 

Under the name of Friese, I find the same as above as to 
the first James, with the added statement, "Perhaps he was 
afterward of Newbury, and had John, wh. is meant, by 
Coffin." 

N. H. Probate Records. 

JACOB FREESE. 

Warrant, Dec. 8, 1727, authorizing Capt. Joshua Win- 
gate and Christopher Page, both of Hampton, to appraise 
the estate of Jacob Freese of Hampton, who died intestate, 
administration being granted to his widow Rachel. 

Inventory; amount, £1,1 11. 8. 2; signed by Joshua Win- 
gate and Christopher Page; sworn to by Rachel Freese, wid- 
ow and administratrix, and by Joshua Wingate and Christo- 
pher Page, Feb. 13, 1727-8. 

JONATHAN FREESE. 

Bond of Sarah Freese of Hampton, widow, with George 
Ayers and Jonathan Ayers, both of Portsmouth, cordwainers, 
as sureties, April 28, 1748, in the sum of £500, for the ad- 
ministration of the estate of Jonathan Freese of Hampton, 
joiner. 



66 MISCELLANEOUS. 

Inventory; amount, £260. 17. o, new tenor.; signed by 
Joseph Philbrick and Moses Perkins; sworn to May 24, 

1748. 

Warrant, April 28, 1750, authorizing Samuel Palmer 
and Joseph Philbrick, both of Hampton, to receive claims 
against the estate. 

List of claims against the estate; amount, £414.7.6; 
dated Oct. 23, 1750. 

Account of Sarah Freese as administrator, against the 
estate, Aug. 28, 175 1 ; amount £402. 14. o. Mentions three 
children under seven years of age. 

Petition of Sarah Freese, administratrix, for licence to 
sell part of the real estate, the personal property being in- 
sufficient to pay the debts; allowed Feb. 25, 1756. 

Further account of Philip Dow and Sarah, his wife, for- 
merly Sarah Freese, administratrix; allowed Aug. 24, 1756. 

Settlement of the estate as insolvent; amount of claims, 
£347. 19. 6; amount of estate to be distributed, £259. 5. o; 
allowed Aug. 25, 1756. 

Bond of Jonathan Moulton of Hampton, with Daniel 
Peirce and Hunking Wentworth, both of Portsmouth, as 
sureties, Feb. 1, 1766, in the sum of £500, for the guard- 
ianship of George Freese and Joseph Freese, minors "up- 
wards of fourteen Years of Age," children of Jonathan 
Freese of Hampton. 

FREESE — FREIZE — FRIES. 

[From New England Gen. Register, VIII, 82, of Saulsbury, 

Mass. 

James Freeze married Elizabeth; child James, born 
16. 1. 1667. 

John Frieze married (torn) Carr July 25, 1696, pub- 
lishments in Saulsbury, Mass. (He may have been the grand- 
father of Abraham, Isaac, etc., and brother of Lieut. Jacob.) 

John Fries in Suffolk, Mass. Ap. 2, 1659. ■ 

Jacob Freeze married Eliz. Adams, Dec. 17, 1761, 
she was born July 15, 1741. Their daughter Abagail mar- 
ried Abraham Adams. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 67 

Jacob Freese married Dorothy Moulton June 10, 1725 
in Maiden. 

Bethiah Frieze married March 4 or Jan. 26, 1762, 
Elijah Allen of Harpswell, Me. 

James Freeze, an adult baptized April 4, 1725, New 
Brick Church, Boston. 

Jas. ffREESE, Suffolk, Mass., about April 20, 1657. 

Andrew Freese, Deerfield, New Hamp. took up arms 
against the crown, 1776. 

Katherine Freese of Topsfield married Daniel Foster, 
born Nov. 14, 1670. Removed to Lebanon, Ct. 

Joseph Freese died Aug. 3, 1752, Stratham, N. Harnp. 

Thos. Peck of Boston claimes severall parcells of land 
bounded on yc west by James freeze. 
This was at Falmouth. 

William Fries of Carver, Me., married Lucy Barrow. 

Feb. 29, 1764, John Freese of Falmouth (Portland), 
married Abagail Moore. 

One John Fries is mentioned in a will recorded in Suf- 
folk Co., Mass., in 1659. 

John Friis (pro. frees) was a Danish statesman, born 
1494, who became a disciple of Luther, whom he met at 
Wittenberg. He was Chancellor under Christian III. He 
died in 1570. 

Grandfather's name was Samuel Freeze, a member of the 
house of assembly from King's Co., New Brunswick, for 
many years. Don't know what my great-grandfather's name 
was. Have been told by my father that his father came from 
Hull, England. Grandfather had two brothers, William and 



68 MISCELLANEOUS. 

John, and I think one by the name of Charles, all of New 
Brunswick. 

There are also relatives of the name in Hants Co., Nova 
Scotia. 

Samuel Freeze, of New Brunswick. 

Mr. J. W. Freese: 
Dear Sir: 

Your letter written to my late husband I have just re- 
ceived. We had been in Europe for two years in search 
of health, but it was not to be. God called my sweetheart 
to Him on the 17th of January. 

If there is anything to be known of the Frese family, 
my husband's brother can tell you. His address is 203 Boule- 
vard Raspail, Paris, France. Another brother, Gustave, 
resides in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Yours very sincerely, 

Mary L. Frese. 

Previous to his sickness, Mr. Frese was for a time an 
instructor of music at Harvard College, Mass. 

2 Carlisle St., Mar. 8, 1901. Dear Sir: I had a letter 
from my brother, but nothing new about the matter [you] 
wished to know. He thinks we came from Friesland, that 
is, our grandfather. I am sorry I did not try to find out 
50 years ago, when my father was living. 

Yours truly, 

Wulf Fries. 

Winston-Salem, N. C, Dec. 20, 1900. 

Mr. Jno. W . Freese, Cambridge, Mass. 

Dear Sir: Your favor of the 17th inst. has been hand- 
ed me by my brother Mr. Frank H. Fries, with request that 
I answer it. I very much fear that I can not give you any 
satisfactory information, and it seems sure that we can not 
scrape up any relationship. What I know of my own family 
is as follows : 

Segismund Eberhard von Fries was a Colonel and Com- 
mandant of the city of Hoschst am Main in the middle of 



MISCELLANEOUS. 69 

the 17th century. His son, Heinrich Segismund von Fries, 
fell in the Hungarian campaign in Oct. 1683 before Ofen. 
His son, Konrad von Fries, was born in March 1684, was 
apprenticed to an apothecary in Erfurt, and married Judith 
Scharfenstein, the daughter of a goldsmith in Moempelgard, 
where Konrad lived as an apothecary and was burgomaster 
when he died there in 1763. Konrad had seven sons, of 
whom I know nothing except that the youngest was Peter 
Konrad Fries, my great-grandfather. He had two sons, 
Jacob Friedrich Fries, a professor of note in the University 
of Jena, and my grandfather John Christian William Fries, 
who came direct from Germany to North Carolina. 

If in your investigations you should run upon any infor- 
mation as to the six elder sons of Konrad Fries in Moempel- 
gard, I will be very glad to have it. 

I have pretty full information as to the lives of Peter 
Konrad Fries and his descendants of both branches, but 
hardly think they would interest you. 

John W. Fries. 

Freese, Jacob, as witness to will, two others being 
Salisbury. Query: does this name suggest the origin of 
"Salisbury," Mass., one of the early homes of Freeses? 

This Jacob (wife Van Loon) was in demand as a wit- 
ness and executor of wills, for he appears as such two dozen 
or more times. 

The name Fresey, Ambrose, is mentioned as early as 
1623, in Virginia. 

This is probably phonetic for Frese, for thus have I had 
my own name pronounced by persons of education. 

There was a John F. Freyss in Philadelphia in 1741. 
He married Elsie C. Snook. Letters adm. of estate of John 
Freas, 1794, granted to Catherine and Peter Freas. 

John Fries had a brother William in New Jersey. 

Albert De Frees married Beletze Luersen, both of 
New Jersey. 

In early Dutch records, New York, we find John Frees 



70 MISCELLANEOUS. 

married Catherina Gerrean Van Tuppan, July 19, 1750. 
Also Hendricus Frees — daughter Maria baptized in Boston 
Mar. 29, 1696. 

[From History of Deerfield, N. H.] 

"John Freese, who married Desire Williams of Stock- 
bridge, and was thus allied to 'the blue blood' of Berkshire 
County, was a tailor and tavern keeper in Egremont in 1776. 
He came to this town (Lee, Mass.) during the Revolution- 
ary War, and became a very large landholder. The house 
he first occupied stood near the present brick schoolhousc 
of the first district in the Hoplands. He afterwards lived 
on the spot where is now Mr. Henry Smith's house. He 
owned that farm, and south across the river to the top of 
Beartown Mountain. 

The Freese family were of Dutch descent, among the 
early settlers of Lunenburgh,* now Athens, N. Y., with 
real Dutch forethought and quaint ideas of propriety. They 
brought with them from the old country mahogany coffins 
and satin graveclothes. 

The family removed to Brunswick, Ohio, in 18 14. Miss 
Sarah Goodspeed is the only immediate descendant left in 
the town of Lee." 

[From The Moravians of North Carolina, by Levin T. 

BerchelJ] 

"In April, 1754, quite unexpectedly, in company with 
John Lisher (who returned from Pennsylvania) Brother 
John Jacob Fries arrived, being successor of Brother Grube, 
who was recalled to the North. Bro. Fries, who was born 
in Denmark, where, previous to his emigration, he had offi- 
ciated as an assistant minister, and was known as an accom- 
plished scholar, especially in the Hebrew language, was nev- 
ertheless a very humble servant of the Lord, ready to do 
the meanest service for his Brethren, and peculiarly adapted 
for such a station in the wilderness. He often referred to 
that time which he spent in this patriarchal housekeeping 



*It is worthy of note that early settlers of Bangor (among them 
Freeses) proposed the name of Lunenburg for what is now Orono. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 7 1 

amidst many toils and great privations as the happiest period 
of his life. 

Utterly averse to all formality, he preferred to be a free 
servant of the Lord, instead of accepting any permanent ap- 
pointment. He assisted in preaching and teaching when- 
ever and wherever he thought he could be most useful, even 
to his eightieth year. He died in 1793." 



Boston, Mass., Dec. 22, 1903. 
Mr. J. W . Freese, 

Dear Sir : I find that I cannot give you much informa- 
tion in regard to the Freeze family. They came from York- 
shire and settled in Nova Scotia. 

W. E. McArthur.* 

In report of the State Historian of New York, Vol. II, 
page 871, I find in a list of names of Capt. Johannis Hoge- 
boom's Company, 

Freese, John 
Freese, Jacob, Jr. 

under date of 1767. Also, page 831, Freeser, John, 1761. 
Also the name of Derick Spoor. It was he, doubtless, who 
married Dorothy Freeze, daughter of Jacob, of the mahog- 
any coffins fame. 
I also find 

David, Jr., \ 

Johannes, and > Freest. 

Martin ) 

Also, page 674, Freazer, William, of Cornelius Van De- 
baregh's Company, under date of 1762. 

In Calendar of Wills, N. Y., page 459"6o, I find Jehenes 
Frees, as an executor of the will of Alex. Weber. Two of 
the witnesses were Andries and Abraham Onderdonck. 

The name "Freer" occurs eighteen times. 



*Mr. McArthur's grandmother was a Freese. 



72 MISCELLANEOUS. 

[Copied by John Wesley Freese, December 26, 1900, from 
New Hampshire State Papers.] 

In Company of Capt. Stephen Clark (copied from 
original in Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D. C.) I find 
the name of Jacob Freese, as a private. 

Capt. Clark was of Epping, N. H., and went with a 
portion of his men to Winter Hill (Somerville) , December, 

1775- 

Andrew Freese, ) J ele !;T/V f u 

, , ~ \ Deerpeld, N. H., 

Moses Chase, \ 1770 

In Company of Capt. Enoch Pages, September 20, 1777, 
Gordon Freese was a private. Also His name, with others, 
on receipt as having reed, "of John Taylor Gilman Twenty- 
five shillings Lawful Money Each." The date of his enlist- 
ment was September 15, 1777; of his discharge January 6, 
1778. Joseph Freeze of Capt. Moses Leavitt's Company, 
Col. Nichols' regt., was Sarjeant, and enlisted August 5, 
1778. 

Fris, John, mentioned in abstract of wills in County of 
Suffolk, Mass., in 1659. 

Freese, Joseph, died in Stratham, N. H., July 28, 

1752. 

An old Dutch Bible, belonging to Miss Dorothy C. Roys 
of Sheffield, Mass., was brought from Holland by an an- 
cestor of her great-grandmother, Dorothy Freeze. It was 
published in Dordrecht in 161 8. 

It contains the following records: "Freese, Jacob, mar- 
ried Rebecah Van Loon, November 14, 1740. She was born 
February 18, 17 19. He died April 19, 1789. She died, 
February 14, 1799." 

Freeze, Jacob and Rebecah, had children: 

John, b. Sept. 13, 1741. 
Rebecca, b. May 16, 1745. 
Jacob, b. Feb. 18, 1747. 
Dorothy, b. Nov. 10, 1750. 
Rachel, b. May 7, 1 753- 
Abraham, b. Jan. I, 1756. 
Maria, b. June 15, 1759- 
Magdalen, b. Oct. 30, 1761. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 73 

Freese, Dorothy, became the wife of Derrick Spoor, 
December 25, 1777. He was born November 15, 1754. 

They had children: 



Rebecah, 

Sarah, 

Nicholas, 

Jacob, 

Lana, 



born 

1779-1789. 
-Vol. 51, of 1897, of 
N. E. Genealogical and 
Historical Register. 



[Notes on Freese Family. Copied from Historical and 

Genecological Records of N. E., December 1900. 

— date of copy.] 

Frieze, Bethiah, became the wife of Elijah Allen, 
March 4, 1762. 

Vol 18. 

Freeze, James, a man baptized April 4, 1725. 

Ffreese, James, deposition of — , age 16 (about), 20th 
April, 1657. Files of Suffolk County. 

Freese, Andrew, Deerfield, N. H., signed agreement to 
resist the Crown, 1776. 

Freese, Katherine, became the wife of Daniel Foster, 
March, 1693. Her home, before marriage seems to have 
been Topsfield, Mass. 

FREES FAMILY, N. H. 

Freese, Zack, Capt. Nathan Brown's Company, Col. 
David Gilman's regt., name signed as having reed. £2 for 
service, the date being April 12, 1776. 

October 1 — paid 

A Clame of the men that are Ingaged in the Service of 
the United States of America for the Parish of Deerfield, as 
follows, viz. : 

year 1777 Nathan Moulton [and others]. 
1778 

1779 

Andrew Freese, fa u 

Nathan Sanborn,- > 

» . ^ \ men. 

Moses Chase, ) 



74 MISCELLANEOUS. 

FREESE FAMILY. 

A Jacob Freese, I understand, is named in the Pension 
Office at Washington. 

James Freese had a three acre lot on the Neck "on the 
path that goes to Mr. Clark's." — Maine His. Soc., Vol. I, 
page 310. 

Jacob lived at "Purpooduck." 

Mercator "studied mathematics, history, and geogra- 
phy with greatest zeal at Lowen, where the learned German 
cosmographer, Gemma Frisius, was his teacher." 



MISCELLANEOUS. 

January 22, 1902. 
Mr. J. W. Freese: 

My Dear Sir: — Your letter of January 12th asking for 
data concerning the Freese family was sent to me from 
Chicago. 

There is quite a colony of Freeses living here [Shermer- 
ville], and all are related. They came here direct from 
Germany, about forty years ago, or at least my family did. 

My mother was a Walter. 

Respectfully, 

Benj. J. Freese. 
Shermerville, Cook County, 111. 

October 4, 1752, ship "Neptune," John Mason, Master, 
from Rotterdam, I find Johann Jacob Friess. 

November 8, 1752, ship "Louisa," John Pitairne, Capt, 
from Rotterdam, I find John Jacob Friess. 

October 1, 1754, ship "Phoenix," John Spurrier, Capt., 
from Rotterdam, last from Cowes, inhabitants from Fran- 
conia, the Palatinate and Zwibriicken, I find Jacob Fries and 
George Friess. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 75 

FREESE FAMILY.— IMMIGRANTS. 

September 16, 1748. Foreigners imported in the ship, 
"Paliena," John Brown, Master, from Rotterdam, last from 
Cowes. In a list of one hundred and twenty-one (121) I 
find the name of Fries, Samuel. These were, presumably, 
adults, as the children were named in separate lists. 

September 27, 1749. Palatines in the ship "Isaac," 
Robert Mitchell, Capt., from Rotterdam, last from Cowes. 
206 passengers, I find the name, Fries, Rudolph. 

August 13, 1750. Foreigners imported in the ship 
"Bennet Galley," John Wadham, Master, from Rotterdam, 
last from Portsmouth. 260 passengers. Among the number 
I find the name of Friess, Johan Frantz. 

[From Prof. Rupp.] 
FREESE FAMILY. 

September 26, 1737. In the ship "Saint Galley," John 
Steadman, Master, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes, I find 
among the passengers, Fries, Jacob. 

August 17, 1733. Palatine imported in the ship 
"Samuel," of London, Hugh Percy, Master, from Rotter- 
dam, last from Deal, I find the name of Fries, Hans (John, 
Johan, Joan, Jean). 

September 19, 1738. Palatines imported in the ship 
"Thistle," John Wilson, Commander, from Rotterdam, last 
from Plymouth, I find the names of Friess (Michael, Johan- 
nes, Johan Simon) . 

August 27, 1739. Ship "Samuel," I find the name of 
Freys, Johann, Henrich. Query: Is this another spelling 
of Freese? 

October 21, 1754. Ship "Friendship," Chas. Ross, 
Capt., from Amsterdam, last from Gosport, England, 
Jacob Fries. 



j6 MISCELLANEOUS. 

November 5, 1764. Ship "Prince of Wales,' 1 James 
Edgar, Master, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes. Casper 
Fries. 

October 26, 1768. Ship "Crawford," Chas. Smith, 
Master, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes. Joh. Philip 
Fries. 

Jacob Fries, September 26, 1737, in the ship "Saint 
Andrew Galley," John Steadman, Master, from Rotterdam, 
last from Cowes. 

Hans Fries, August 17, 1733 (Palatine), imported in 
the ship "Samuel," of London, Hugh Percy, Master, from 
Rotterdam, last from Deal. 

Michael Johannes, and John Simon Friess, Pala- 
tines, imported September 19, 1738, in the ship "Thistle," 
John Wilson, Commander, from Rotterdam, last from Ply- 
mouth, England. 

September 16, 175 1, ship "Nancy," Thos. Coatam, 
Capt., from Rotterdam, I find Michael Friess. 

October 4, 175 1, ship "Queen of Denmark," Georg 
Parish, Commander, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes, I 
find Fries, Martin, and Friess, John William. 



FRIES FAMILY. 

Fries, Jakob Friedrich, the founder of a philosophic 
school in Germany, was born at Barby, in Prussian Saxony, 
23d August, 1773, studied at Leipsic and Jena, and in 
1805, went to Heidelberg, as professor of philosophy and 
mathematics. In 1816 he accepted a call to the chair of 
speculative philosophy at Jena, and in 1824 was appointed 
to the chair of physics and mathematics, which he occupied 
till his death, August 10th, 1843. 

His most eminent disciples were De Wette, Apelt, Schlei- 
den, Schlomilch, Friedrich Francke, and Schmidt. 

They published several philosophic papers entitled, 
Abhandlungen der Fries' schen Schule. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 77 

Fries, Elias, a distinguished Swedish botanist, was born 
15th August, 1794, in the district of Femsjo. In 1834, he 
was professor of practical economics at Upsala, and after 
the death of Professor Whalenberg, in 185 1, the chair of 
botany was conjoined. His researches comprise the entire 
field of botany. He was the author of Systema Orbis Vege- 
tablis, a Flora of Holland, Systema Mycologicum, 3 Vols. ; 
Flora Scanica, Summa Vegetabilium Scandinavia, and several 
monographs. 

He was greatly admired in his native country, and in 
1 85 1, he was appointed director of the Botanical Museum 
and Garden attached to the University of Upsala, and in 
1853, a rector of the University. 

He was one of the eighteen members of the Academy of 
Stockholm. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

"Paolo Frisi was an Italian mathematician and philoso- 
pher, born at Milan in April, 1728. With little or no aid 
except that of books he made great progress in geometry. 
In 1750 he wrote an able treatise on the figure of the earth, 
which established his reputation and procured for him a 
chair of philosophy at Milan. From 1756 to 1764 he was 
professor in the University of Pisa. He also wrote on elec- 
tricity, on the Diurnal Motion of the Earth, and on Uni- 
versal Gravity. He published in Latin, in 1774, his greatest 
work, Physical and Mathematical Cosmography. He be- 
longed to many learned societies. He received from Maria 
Theresa of Austria a pension of one hundred sequins. 

His brother Philip wrote an able work on public law, 
and was for a time a magistrate of Ravenna. 

Bernhard Fries, a German, born at Heidelberg, in 
1820, was a successful landscape painter. 

Ernst, his brother, born in 1801, was appointed court 
painter in 1831. 

Henry Fries was a Swiss professor of eloquence, and 
lived at Zurich. He wrote, On the Seat of the Rational Soul. 
He died in 17 18. 



78 MISCELLANEOUS. 

John Fries, an eminent Swiss philologist, born in 1505, 
was professor of languages at Zurich about 1537, and gave 
a great impulse to the study of Oriental languages. His 
most important work is a Latin-German Dictionary, pub- 
lished in 1 541. He also produced a Latin translation of 
Hesiod (1548), besides several original works. He died in 

1565- 

His son, John James, born at Zurich, 1547, was pro- 
fessor of theology there. 

Frias, de (da Free-as) was a Spanish poet supposed to 
have lived about 1500. He left a poem, The Retreat of Sil- 
via, and a few songs of such merit that he was ranked as one 
of the most agreeable lyric poets of the time. 

Paul Dudley 6 (Paul 5 , Thomas 4 , Hon. Wm. 3 , Gov. 
Joseph 2 , Gov. Thomas 1 ), married Mary, daughter of Isaac 
Freese 1 of Argyle, September 1, 1808. She was born July 
17, 1789. 

For the above data I am indebted to Mrs. Nettie Warren 
Brown of Old Town, Me., as also for much painstaking in 
arranging the data of the Argyle families of Freeses. 

It is interesting to note that the name Dudley appears in 
three different branches of the Freese family, viz. : that of 
Andrew of New Hampshire, of Capt. John, and of the 
Argyle branch. 

From Mrs. Brown I also learn of an interesting tradition 
in her family respecting Courtney Babbage to the effect that 
his coat would stand alone because of the large amount of 
its gold braid. This hints of the dress of a gentleman of 
England of about 1750. 

4U 







S2» 






<y ■ 



^^ °Www: ***** ^lilPf; 















<*>* o » o *V 



*o 



^0« 



^ ^ nKSKKV. v 



*b 



V 



-*> 






^ l 



*"vv ^ "^ ' 






] *s <y 






> 






^0 t 0^ 



•\ 



,v 



V 



o ^ 



S.°o ^ . 



4/ 






* f fitf? 






* -;.. 
&■ 






o « « . <$> 



"oV* 



,o- 






■5» • 






A* 






^ /i^\W- "V. c ' 



o N 












%' 



±-' 



r**± -<m?. 



4.* *<■ 















^ 



. 



^ 






■y 



<? % 























cr ' " * 



* 






o 



^ o 



„4 o* 



^9 
















( 



V 



• 



-^' 


















t\i W • * t V N- J, 







A «> ^ 

,0 <> 



'• v>v 






<*, 












. - ' °- *> V 



o « » 



**^ 




-^ 



D0B8S BROS. 

LIBRARY BINDING 

WAR Si' / 

ST. AUGUSTINE 

^§£#32084 



•^ 












^ 6< 






*o 









o 









x ^ 



